Transport Minister Sean Duffy said he hopes to fully modernize the country's outdated air traffic control system within four years. On Thursday, he announced a far-reaching multi-billion dollar plan that would greatly reform the technology used by thousands of controllers responsible for guiding aircraft into and out of the airport.

Duffy and other Trump administration officials uncovered an ambitious modernization plan, the busiest in the United States, following the turmoil at Newark Liberty International Airport.

"A lot of people say: This problem is too complex, too expensive, too difficult," Duffy said at an event at the Washington, D.C. Department of Transportation Headquarters.

He said President Trump “don’t want to pass on this issue to the next administration, the next secretary or the next group of victims.”

Duffy said how much the plan will cost. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee estimated last week that modernizing the air traffic control system could cost $12.5 billion. Duffy said he estimates the project will cost more than that.

The Modern Sky Alliance, a group of aviation industry experts, representatives from the Pilot Association, issued a statement saying they believe that at least $18.5 billion in additional emergency funds should be allocated over the next three years (in addition to the $12.5 billion figure). This is a complement to the FAA’s annual technology and facility budget.

The point proposes replacing existing decades-old telecommunications, radio and surveillance systems with modern technology (currently relying on things like copper wire and floppy disks). Duffy said the plan also includes investing in new ground radar sensors on the apron and airports, a new flight management system, as well as some new air traffic control towers and other facilities.

The plan will require Congress’ approval and complete this within four years, with the Secretary asking Congress to provide the previous funding instead of gradually providing the funding. Trump endorsed the program and even joined Duffy at a press conference through the speakers.

Airline executives and trade representatives participated in the unveiling of the program, expressing full support for the proposal.

"We can't kick the can. We need to do that right now," said Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of American Airlines, the Air Trade Association.

this Plans are after more and more problems at the airport and a series of events that have occurred this year.

In January, an air collision between an Army Blackhawk helicopter and a commercial passenger plane (known for the airport code DCA) near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport caused the deadliest aviation accident in the United States since 2001. In the following months, several approaches to phone calls and other crashes and other crashes, as well as technical failures that led to Newark Airport officials and led to Newark Airport officials' officials.

Jennifer Homendy, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Commission, expressed his full support for the program: "Aging systems pose untenable risks to safety. I said after the DCA, and I will say it again now: adverse risks to safety."

How does the chaos at Newark Airport adapt to this?

Inclement weather, one of Newark's busiest flight runways and air traffic controllers briefly underwent renovations, which resulted in prolonged delays and cancellations of the airport for more than a week.

On April 28, air traffic controllers were stationed at the Philadelphia terminal radar approach control facility, which is responsible for separating and sequencing the aircraft inside and outside Newark, losing all radar and communication with the aircraft, preventing them from hearing or listening or talking with the pilot for at least 30 seconds. Some controllers asked for leave “recovery from the stress of recent multiple interruptions,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The chaos in Newark helped highlight the aging air traffic technology the industry relies on and prompted officials to do more.

To address this situation, the FAA announced several changes this week, including the introduction of three "new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections" between the New York station that handles radar data and the New York station located in Philadelphia. The agency said the old copper telecom connection would get updates in fiber optic technology, which would allow for higher bandwidth and speeds.

Last week, Duffy announced a new recruitment award and retention incentive program to promote recruitment controllers. However, staffing is not part of the new proposal, which was proposed on Thursday.

History of the problem

After the recent chaos in Newark, the Trump administration has opposed former President Joe Biden and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, blamed them on issues with the air traffic control system.

"In this case, air traffic problems caused by the incompetent Biden administration are newbie and political hackers, Pete B, I will fix it!!!" Trump said on his Truth Society account on Thursday.

During his first term, Trump discussed possible solutions, including privatizing air traffic controls – nowhere to go.

After taking office for the second time, the Trump administration abandoned hundreds of FAA employees as part of a federal effort to reduce workers. Officials say controllers and other "critical security personnel" are not among the people fired.

However, the civil aviation industry’s problems did not begin with Newark, January 29 at the DCA or the Biden Administration.

Airlines and unions have been calling on the government to do more for most years.

Under the Biden administration, Bartjeeg asked Congress to provide more funding to hire thousands of new air traffic controllers. House Republicans blocked the effort.

In September, the Government Responsibility Office said the FAA needed to make radical changes and quickly repair the aging air traffic control system.

The report found that in the previous year, the FAA determined that more than one-third of its systems “is unsustainable to outdated features, lack of spare parts and more.” The report said most modernization projects will be completed for another 10-13 years.

aviation industry analyst Robert W. Mann Jr.

"For the past 30 years, it's the same mantra. Give them more money. They're going to build new systems. It's going to work better and work harder. That's why airlines tell the FAA. This is what the FAA says whenever the agency does a re-authorization, we've been doing it for 30 years. And we've been doing it for 30 years and we've done the same result."