FAA deploys $875M AI system to manage air traffic congestion

The Federal Aviation Administration is launching an AI-powered system to help air traffic controllers manage congestion in one of the nation's busiest airspaces. The SMART system is expected to begin operations as soon as September 21 in the Washington, DC area before expanding nationwide.

The deployment represents the first operational use of AI prediction models in FAA air traffic management at this scale, according to details first reported by The Wall Street Journal and Politico.

How the system works

SMART uses AI models to forecast air traffic patterns and identify potential conflicts by analyzing multiple operational factors simultaneously. The system processes airline schedules, weather conditions, airport capacity constraints, and current airspace conditions to generate predictions.

The tool will provide what the FAA describes as a shared operational picture—giving controllers, airlines, and aircraft operators the same view of conditions so they can coordinate on optimal routes and departure times. The stated goals include reducing fuel consumption, improving on-time performance, and accelerating recovery from weather disruptions or congestion events.

Initial confusion among airline officials about the deployment reportedly eased after the FAA clarified that SMART would not alter existing procedures. Instead, it will generate alternative route suggestions through current FAA systems.

Why it matters

The AI deployment comes as the FAA faces a critical air traffic controller shortage that has persisted for decades. The workforce has declined 6 percent over the past ten years, according to a December 2025 Government Accountability Office report. Recent government shutdowns, including a 43-day closure from October to November 2025, have accelerated retirements and trainee losses. The January 2025 collision between a military helicopter and passenger jet near Reagan National Airport—which killed 67 people—highlighted the risks of understaffing, with investigators citing insufficient tower personnel as a causal factor. The FAA has reduced its projected controller needs for 2026-2028 by roughly 2,000 positions, suggesting the agency is counting on technology to help bridge the staffing gap.

Contract and technical details

SMART is part of an $875 million, 12-year contract awarded to Boston-based Air Space Intelligence in June 2026. The contract also covers development of a Flow Management Data and Services system to replace legacy infrastructure at the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia.

Air Space Intelligence reports that its separate Flyways AI platform already supports management of over 40 percent of US air traffic through airline partnerships. That platform uses a 4D digital twin of national airspace to model traffic and weather.

The specific AI model types in SMART remain unclear. Philip Mann, a principal consultant at Vector Strategic Consulting who spent 17 years at the FAA, told Ars Technica that limiting the initial scope was "the right call" given the unknowns inherent in a national-scale AI system.

Mann indicated he will be monitoring whether the rollout remains restricted to aircraft flying at 24,000 feet and above, as the FAA described in June, and what evidence gates future expansion phases.

Broader modernization context

The AI tool launch coincides with a multi-billion-dollar FAA effort to replace aging equipment. The agency recently began upgrading hundreds of radar systems from the 1980s, along with radios, telecommunication lines, and voice switches connecting controllers and pilots.

The FAA's 29 million square miles of managed airspace will eventually be covered by SMART if the Washington DC trial proves successful.

Details were first reported by The Wall Street Journal and Politico.