The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded radar modernization contracts to RTX and Indra as part of efforts to build a new, modernized air traffic control system by the end of 2028.
Why Is FAA Modernizing Air Traffic Control System?
The radar system replacement program aims to replace decades-old surveillance systems that form the backbone of the nation’s air traffic control network, strengthening aviation safety and enhancing operational efficiency in U.S. airspace, the FAA said Monday.
“While our air travel system is the safest in the world, most of our radars date back to the 1980s. It’s unacceptable,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“Our radar network is outdated and long overdue for replacement. Many of the units have exceeded their intended service life, making them increasingly expensive to maintain and difficult to support,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
What Will RTX & Indra Do Under the Radar Modernization Contracts?
The awards support the replacement of up to 612 ground-based radars by June 2028. Many of the radars currently in service across the National Airspace System date back to the 1980s.
Funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill, the contracts with RTX business Collins Aerospace and Indra call for radar replacements to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and continue on a rolling basis. The effort will prioritize high-traffic areas and deploy modern, commercially available surveillance radars.
Collins Aerospace received a $438 million contract to deliver cooperative and non-cooperative radar systems to replace multiple legacy platforms with a unified, cost-effective architecture, improving safety, efficiency and long-term sustainability. The effort builds on RTX’s more than 550 operational radar systems in the national airspace and includes deployment of the FAA-qualified Condor Mk3 and ASR-XM radars to enhance aircraft tracking and surveillance.
