FAA launches $875M AI system to modernize air traffic control

September 18, 2026 at 03:14 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The Federal Aviation Administration will launch SMART, an $875 million AI software program, to help air traffic controllers manage workflows and navigate flight routes. The system will first roll out in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area before expanding nationwide. The launch comes as the FAA struggles with an air traffic control shortage and separately pursues a hiring plan to erase staffing deficits.

Key Facts

The FAA will pay $875 million over 12 years for the SMART AI software program.
SMART will debut for the three major airports in the Washington, D.C. area as soon as Monday, September 21.
The system is developed by Air Space Intelligence and uses AI to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts.
The FAA oversees 29 million square miles of US national airspace.
Earlier this year, the FAA announced a hiring plan to erase the longstanding staffing shortage.

SMART System Details

SMART stands for Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories. The FAA describes SMART as a cloud-based platform that enhances existing air traffic management systems. The system uses AI to assess airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, airspace conditions, and operational constraints to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts before they occur. SMART is the product of a firm called Air Space Intelligence.

Rollout and Industry Reaction

The software will roll out in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area first before expanding to other regions. US government and industry officials told The Wall Street Journal that SMART could debut for the three major airports in the Washington, DC, area as soon as Monday, September 21. Philip Mann, principal consultant at Vector Strategic Consulting LLC and a former FAA employee of 17 years, called the limited-scope launch the 'right call'. Mann said SMART's risk was never any single prediction but rather a national-scale system with AI components carrying more unknowns than anything the FAA has fielded.