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N A T I O N A L A I R T R A F F I C C O N T R O L L E R S A S S O C I A T I O N | W W W . N AT C A . O R G N i W To d a y 35 35 35 35 ISSUES Issue NATCA takes pride that our National Airspace System (NAS) remains the safest and most efficient in the world. The air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals who NATCA represents throughout the FAA, DOD, and the private sector Federal Contract Tower (FCT) program are vital to the U.S. economy, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of millions of tons of cargo annually within the National Airspace System (NAS). One of the issues that could jeopardize this shared goal are the lagging efforts to maintain the FAA's current air traffic control (ATC) technology, modernize outdated ATC technology, and upgrade its rapidly aging physical infrastructure. NATCA and our members have been collaborating with the FAA to implement modernization programs for the past 15 years. NATCA plays a critical role in testing, developing, and implementing important modernization programs. We have had many successes, and we anticipate many more as we work with the FAA to ensure that we are strategic in the prioritization of resources allocated to these programs. The FAA's unstable and unpredictable funding stream has negatively affected all aspects of the FAA, especially modernization and safety programs. The FAA's annual Facilities & Equipment (F&E) budget requests have not been sufficient and have not kept up with inflation over the past 15 years, resulting in our significant backlogs of NAS system sustainment and ATC facility sustainment, in addition to mounting delays in the implementation of NAS modernization and system improvements as well as ATC tower and radar facility replacement. For instance, the FAA has consistently requested only about $3 billion in annual appropriations for F&E throughout that period, even though in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 the Agency's internal budgetary estimates showed that it needed at least $4.5 billion, with that need quickly approaching $6 billion. This loss of spending and buying power for F&E programs forced FAA into a "fix-on-fail" model by requiring it to prioritize mandatory costs, leaving little to no money for modernization and infrastructure programs. The FAA's FY 2025 budget request, for the first time in over a decade, acknowledges its true need through its F&E request and additional mandatory spending. In addition to the $3.6 billion F&E request, FAA cites the $1 billion in funds authorized for 2025 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as supplementing its facilities and infrastructure funding needs. It also proposes a new Facility Replacement and Radar Modernization fund that would dedicate $8 billion over the next five years – beginning with $1 billion in 2025 – to replace or modernize aging air traffic control facilities. This includes modernizing 377 critical radar systems and more than 20 air traffic control facilities. We, along with a wide array of industry stakeholders, support this request. The FAA must continue to be transparent with its need for increased F&E funding so that it can meet its own equipment sustainment, replacement, and modernization needs. If not, it will continue to exacerbate the FAA's significant sustainment and replacement backlog. Failing to maintain and replace critical safety equipment that has exceeded its expected life introduces unnecessary risk into the system. These funding limitations also have prevented the FAA from designing and implementing new technologies that will improve safety. Modernization Program Priorities NATCA's top priorities include maintaining and upgrading our air traffic automation platforms, surveillance systems, telecommunications systems, and the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system across all en route and terminal facilities. These foundational systems deliver flight plan information, surveillance information, and support the operation of the NAS on a real-time basis and keep our aviation system operating safely every day. Our top priorities also include replacing the outdated automation platform that supports Guam, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska, as well as the continued operability and future enhancement of long-range radar surveillance. One of the most serious issues is the looming threat to the FAA's telecommunications infrastructure, which is the backbone of the air traffic control system. The FAA needs extensive telecommunications services and networking capabilities to support the operation of the NAS and other agency functions. The FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) program currently provides these services and networking Full Background Issue

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