Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy appeared on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on the morning of November 15, 2026, to address the recent disruptions in the national airspace. When asked if the country would return to full operational status by the end of the day, Duffy indicated that while delays persist, the system should reach full capacity by the following morning. He explained that the ground stop issued on Friday left aircraft and crews out of position, requiring time for airlines to reorganize and resume normal operations.
The interview focused heavily on the technical root cause of the Friday incident. Duffy confirmed that issues arose at a router in El Dorado, Arkansas, and a radar site in Amarillo, Texas. He stated that work at the Amarillo facility had been completed weeks prior, but the installation in El Dorado began broadcasting data into the network unexpectedly. Both routers are currently with L3Harris, the company that operates and owns the network, while the FAA and FBI are providing on-site support to determine if the cause was the installation process or the hardware itself.
Duffy described the underlying infrastructure as a mix of old architecture and new equipment. He noted that the telecom provider forced an upgrade from old copper wire to fiber in El Dorado because the copper was being decommissioned. This switch, part of routine maintenance on a decades-old network, triggered a data flood. Duffy emphasized that most institutions globally have moved to digital and fiber systems, but the FAA has been slow to make the transition.
Addressing the role of aviation safety specialists, Duffy clarified that the union representing these workers handles FAA-owned equipment such as radios and radar. However, the specific telecom work was performed by contractors like L3Harris. He argued that the union did not perform the upgrades that led to the issue, though he acknowledged the need to reevaluate how such work is scheduled in remote locations.
Duffy defended the decision to perform maintenance during the day, noting that similar tasks have been done thousands of times without incident. He stated that risk assessments are standard procedure, citing a Government Accountability Office report that flagged the risks of operating on 1980s-era networks. He pointed to a $12.5 billion funding package from Congress as evidence of the effort to replace old radar, radios, and voice switches.
When pressed on whether the modernization push was moving too quickly, Duffy stated that safety was his primary priority, which is why the airspace was closed. He highlighted that 70 percent of the copper network has already been switched to fiber without issue, and nearly 470 radios have been updated. He argued that the administration is solving a long-standing problem by deploying new technology, although he noted the difficulty of the task.
Duffy addressed concerns about unspent funds, explaining that while Congress provided $12.5 billion, the money is obligated for new equipment that must be built rather than bought off the shelf. He said radar deliveries will begin in the spring, with full deployment expected by the end of 2028. He stressed that while this funding covers hardware, the FAA still lacks sufficient money for a completely new telecom system and software.
The Secretary concluded by making a case for a total $50 billion investment to finish the modernization job. He urged Congress to approve the funds to ensure the system is fully updated, aiming to prevent future disruptions and keep the American public safe in the sky.
