FAA launches $875 million AI-powered air traffic control system

The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to launch SMART, an AI-powered air-traffic control software tool developed by Air Space Intelligence, as soon as September 21, 2026. The $875 million, 12-year initiative will debut in the Washington, D.C., area before expanding nationwide. SMART is designed to streamline operations, reduce flight delays, and help manage the FAA's ongoing air traffic controller shortage by predicting traffic flows and identifying routing conflicts.

SMART AI system launch

• ▪The United States government is engaged in a broad effort to modernize the nation's aging air traffic systems
• ▪The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to launch an AI-powered air-traffic control software tool named SMART as soon as September 21, 2026
• ▪SMART, the AI-powered air-traffic control software developed by Air Space Intelligence, will first debut in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area before expanding to other regions nationwide

FAA air traffic controller shortage

• ▪The United States government is seeking innovative solutions to address the diverse causes of the air traffic controller shortage
• ▪The Federal Aviation Administration has been struggling to manage a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers

SMART system capabilities

• ▪SMART, the AI-powered air-traffic control software developed by Air Space Intelligence, is expected to help the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines reduce flight delays and cancellations and find alternative routes during disruptions
• ▪The SMART software, which stands for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories, is a cloud-based platform designed to enhance existing Federal Aviation Administration air traffic management systems
• ▪SMART, the AI-powered air-traffic control software developed by Air Space Intelligence, uses AI to assess airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, airspace conditions, and operational constraints to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts

Air Space Intelligence contract

• ▪The SMART software is developed by a firm named Air Space Intelligence
• ▪The Federal Aviation Administration's contract for SMART, the AI-powered air-traffic control software developed by Air Space Intelligence, will cost the United States government $875 million over a 12-year period

FAA hiring initiatives

• ▪The Federal Aviation Administration stated that its 2026 hiring plan would erase the FAA's longstanding staffing shortage
• ▪The Federal Aviation Administration announced a hiring plan in 2026 to address the FAA's air traffic controller shortage

Debatable claims

• ▪The FAA should prioritize hiring human controllers over investing in AI systems
• ▪The FAA should not outsource air traffic control software to private tech firms