Sean Duffy Unveils Plan to Modernize Air Traffic Control With AI Tech [WATCH]

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is taking a no-nonsense approach to America’s outdated air traffic control system, announcing a major overhaul that will incorporate cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence to prevent catastrophic accidents.

As Fox News reported, his plan aims to replace decades-old infrastructure and identify “hot spots” where aircraft frequently come dangerously close to one another.

Duffy’s announcement follows the release of a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report detailing a tragic midair collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and a commercial jet over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Elon Musk Called This Financial News ‘Terrifying’

The January 29 crash claimed 67 lives, and the findings revealed a troubling pattern—85 near-miss incidents at the airport in just the last two and a half years.

Visibly disturbed by the report, Duffy didn’t mince words.

“We’re having near misses, and if we don’t change our way, we’re going to lose lives. That wasn’t done. Maybe there was a focus on something other than safety, but in this administration, we are focusing on safety.”

Duffy questioned how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) failed to recognize Reagan National as a hazardous zone. In response, he’s deploying AI-powered tools to analyze data across the country, pinpointing similar danger zones that need immediate attention.

American Made Patriotic Apparel – Save 15% with Promo Code MERICA

His team plans to implement changes designed to reduce the risk of midair and runway collisions.

Beyond AI-driven safety measures, Duffy is addressing another glaring issue—the shockingly outdated state of America’s air traffic control system.

Many parts of the system are running on technology from the 1980s, with some facilities still using floppy disks. That’s right—floppy disks, as if the entire system were stuck in a Reagan-era time warp.

While Duffy assured the public that the existing system is safe, he made it clear that it’s far from optimal. “This should have happened four years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago,” he said. “But, right now, we’re at a point where we can actually do it. And we can do it really fast.”

His plan includes a complete technological overhaul: retiring old radar systems, replacing copper wiring with a mix of fiber optics, wireless, and satellite systems, and upgrading air traffic control terminals with modern displays and cutting-edge tracking technology.

A key component of the overhaul involves deploying new ground radar sensors at airports, allowing air traffic controllers to ditch their binoculars and use real-time digital tracking instead.

“We’re going to deploy resources for runway safety — new technology that will allow our air traffic controllers not to use binoculars in the tower to see where aircraft are at, but to actually have ground radar sensors at our airports that will allow air traffic controllers to see where airplanes are at.”

Of course, these upgrades come with a hefty price tag. But Duffy is making the case that investing in safety now will prevent costly disasters down the road. He plans to bring his proposal before Congress in the coming weeks, gathering input before making a formal funding request.

“It’s not that the FAA didn’t want to do the upgrades,” Duffy explained. “It just takes too long. So, they have to give us the money. We’re going to later lay out our plan to actually do it really quickly.”

With a no-nonsense approach and a commitment to putting safety first, Duffy is determined to bring America’s air traffic control system into the modern era—before another tragedy forces action.