According to a BBC report on November 15, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the nationwide flight suspension on November 13 was initially caused by a malfunction during the upgrade of air traffic control communication systems from copper wiring to fiber optics. Authorities currently believe the incident was not the result of a cyberattack, but are investigating whether contractor operational errors or equipment defects may have played a role.
The upgrade project was managed by technology provider L3Harris. An anomaly occurred in a router undergoing maintenance, leading to an influx of communication data across other air traffic control systems, disrupting aircraft communications. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended all takeoffs out of safety concerns.
The grounding affected domestic flights for more than four hours, marking one of the most severe disruptions since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Flight tracking data indicates that, as of Saturday, over 3,500 flights had been canceled and more than 2,000 delayed, with further ripple effects expected to persist for several days.
Duffy warned that similar failures could recur unless Congress approves funding for modernization of air traffic infrastructure. Former President Trump has proposed a $30.1 billion budget for system upgrades. The incident also underscores the long-standing issue of aging aviation communication systems in the United States.
Nationwide Flight Grounding Suddenly Occurs
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881894487979018/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.