The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that the first digital air traffic control towers in the US are officially operational. The new technology has been deployed at smaller regional airports in Florida and Alaska as the Trump administration pushes forward with updates to the nation’s aging aviation infrastructure.
The systems are now online at the Bartow Executive Airport (KBOW) in Florida and the Kenai Municipal Airport (PAEN) in Alaska. The agency stated that five additional regional airports are scheduled to receive the technology next.
Digital towers in Florida and Alaska
According to the FAA, these digital towers utilize advanced camera systems and digital displays to provide air traffic controllers with a continuous, 360-degree view of airport operations. This includes visibility of runways, taxiways, and surrounding airspace.
The agency maintains that the technology is not intended to replace human controllers. Instead, the systems are designed to provide greater visibility and additional information to help controllers perform their existing duties.
“Our air traffic controllers continue to do the critical job of keeping aircraft safely separated, and we’re giving them better technology to do that,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford in a statement. “Digital towers provide controllers with greater visibility of airport activity and more information to make critical decisions,” he added.
FAA modernization and staffing concerns
Bedford is scheduled to appear before the House transportation and infrastructure committee next week. He will face questions regarding the progress and challenges surrounding the administration’s ongoing $12.5bn modernization initiative.
Congress approved $12.5bn over five years in June 2025 to support air traffic control reforms. The Trump administration is now seeking an additional $30bn from the legislative branch to fund further improvements. The effort aims to replace decades-old equipment still used throughout the aviation system, including copper telecommunications lines, floppy disks, and paper strips used to track aircraft.
Concerns about the types of technology being implemented within air traffic control have gained traction alongside broader unease about artificial intelligence. In September, the FAA rolled out a new AI software tool called the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (Smart).
Staffing levels in control towers and other aspects of US air traffic safety systems have come under close scrutiny since a midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter on the outskirts of Washington DC in 2025. The crash killed 67 people and was deemed “100% preventable” by authorities. Trump has faced heavy criticism for his response to a national shortage of air traffic controllers following last year’s government shutdown.
Source: The Guardian
