FAA Awards Collins Aerospace $438M for Radar Upgrade

TL;DR

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FAA’s $438 Million Radar Upgrade Targets Northeast Air Traffic Failures by 2028

The FAA awarded Collins Aerospace $438 million to replace 612 primary and backup radar systems nationwide, with full deployment scheduled for mid-2028. These systems constitute approximately 15% of the FAA’s total radar inventory and are focused on addressing infrastructure failures that disrupted air traffic control at Newark Liberty and Philadelphia airports in 2025.

What technical upgrades are included?

The replacement systems feature fiber-optic backhaul replacing over one-third of legacy copper wiring, unified cooperative and non-cooperative radar architectures, and ASR-XM transponder interrogation capabilities. These upgrades improve signal reliability, reduce latency, and enhance tracking accuracy in high-traffic corridors.

How does this contract fit into broader funding needs?

The $438 million represents approximately 3.5% of the FAA’s $12.5 billion allocated for ATC modernization under the "One Big Beautiful" bill. An additional $20 billion is required to complete the full overhaul, including tower communications and system integration. Without supplemental appropriations, full national coverage may be delayed to 2029–2030.

What are the projected operational benefits?

FAA modeling projects a greater than 70% reduction in outage-related flight cancellations on the Northeast corridor, translating to approximately $500 million in annual airline delay cost savings and 1.2 million fewer delayed passengers per year. These gains depend on successful integration of radar systems and sustained staffing levels.

What risks could delay implementation?

Four prime contractors—Collins Aerospace, RTX, Indra, and Peraton—are involved, increasing integration complexity. Historical FAA data suggests uncoordinated vendor interfaces could lead to cost overruns exceeding 15% of project value. A GAO audit in 2027 may trigger contract modifications to enforce interoperability standards.

Is workforce capacity being addressed?

The FAA plans to hire 8,900 new air traffic controllers by 2028, a 10% staffing increase. Without corresponding training and retention investments, modernized radar systems may face underutilization due to controller shortages, negating technological gains.

What is the timeline for future milestones?

• 2026 Q2: $5 billion in supplemental funding secured; fiber-optic deployment begins at 200 high-traffic sites.
• 2027 Q1: 400 radars installed (65% of contract); Northeast outage frequency reduced by 50%.
• 2027 Q3: GAO issues integration-risk audit; potential $10 million budget adjustment.
• 2028 Q2: Full radar deployment certified; 70% cancellation reduction achieved.
• 2029 H1: Remaining $15 billion appropriated for NextGen tower and communications upgrades.

The success of this modernization effort depends on sustained congressional funding, rigorous systems integration, and parallel investment in human capital.