Benefits

The FAA’s transition to a networked VoIP system as part of the BNATCS initiative strengthens operational resilience by enhancing flexibility and fault tolerance, ensuring continuity. This modernized approach also drives cost efficiency by reducing maintenance and operational expenses, minimizing the need for custom development, and leveraging standardized, off-the-shelf components and software. At the same time, voice switch modernization consolidates legacy systems, streamlining communications and enabling more dynamic operations — such as reallocating controllers across sectors without requiring physical relocation — while improving overall scalability and reliability.

Phase Out Legacy
Infrastructure

Replace analog voice
switches across the
National Airspace System
(NAS).

Implement VoIP
Infrastructure

Deploy modern, IP-based
voice communication
systems to unify Tower,
TRACON, & En-Route ops.

Enable Dynamic
Routing

Support dynamic
reconfiguration of
communications
resources.

Scope

Legacy switches will be replaced at en route centers, TRACONs, air traffic control towers and CERAPs to enable digital voice communications over IP networks, flexible rerouting, and better failure resilience.

Importance

Air-to-ground communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, along with ground-to-ground coordination among other air traffic control facilities, dispatch operations, and other voice communication systems, is mission-critical — forming the backbone of aviation safety and the efficient flow of air traffic. Modernizing this infrastructure is essential because it strengthens safety through more reliable and flexible communications, improves operational efficiency by easing controller workloads and adding system redundancy, and establishes a scalable foundation to support emerging aviation technologies such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), tools like Data Comm, and future communication frameworks.

Implementation

Procurements for native IP Voice Communication Systems (IPVCS) will replace the voice switches at towers, TRACONs, en route centers, and CERAP facilities.

Phases of Modernization

Implementation of the VCS will be planned in 3 waves: 

• Wave 1 will deploy to approximately 140 small towers that have the least complex operations.
  • The Wave 1 VCS Key Site is Allegheny County Airport (AGC).
• Wave 2 will deploy to approximately 250 medium-sized terminal facilities with more complex operations than the small towers deployed with Wave 1.
• Wave 3 will deploy to Core 30 airports, Tier 1 terminal, CERAP,  and all en route centers with the most complex operations.

The APC will replace all existing legacy Radio Control Equipment (RCE) units in the NAS to address obsolescence and end of life (EOL) issues. APCs will interface with both legacy analog and IP voice switches.

• APC Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) was completed in August 2025.
• APC Management System (APCMS) Key Sites are Indianapolis Center (ZID) and Southern California TRACON (SCT). APC Management Systems (APCMS) were installed at SCT in August 2025 and at ZID in September.

The LVSS Portfolio will sustain all currently fielded voice communication equipment until such
time as they are replaced. Priority is placed on the most critical and highest risk supportability
items for any given fielded voice switch system.

Portfolio

• Enhanced Terminal Voice Switch (ETVS)
• Rapid Deployment Voice Switch (RDVS)
• Small Tower Voice Switch (STVS)
• Interim Voice Switch Replacement (IVSR)
• Voice Switching and Control System (VSCS)
• VSCS Training and Backup System (VTABS)
• Voice Switch ByPass (VSBP)

NAS Voice Recorders (NVR) provide legally accepted voice recordings of conversations between air traffic controllers, pilots, and ground-based air traffic control (ATC) facilities. This includes recorded communications between ATC personnel, pilots, airport authorities, fire/rescue, law enforcement, military, and the general public. Legally accepted audio recordings also support compliance with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and risk-based monitoring. Audio recordings also support National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations, search and rescue, routine Quality Control and Quality Assurance audits, and periodic ATC performance evaluations. The NVR is replacing the Digital Audio Legal Recorder (DALR) at all operational ATC facilities. NVRs will meet increased demand for improved access to audio data and provide more expeditious remote audio access.

NVR will provide capabilities to include:

• Increased recording channel capacity
• Recording of VoIP
• Use Federal Aviation Administration’s Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) Network Time Protocol (NTP) as an enterprise time source solution

What is a voice switch?

• A voice switch is the primary interface that allows air traffic controllers to access and use air-to-ground and ground-to-ground communications resources (i.e., radios and telephone lines). Air traffic control (ATC) uses voice switches as their main communication interface. Over 450 voice switches support the NAS; the oldest was deployed in the 1990s. Current voice switches only support analog communication interfaces.
• Simplified, a voice switch connects voice communication “calls” between ATC and pilots, as well as other ground-based users including other ATC facilities. A ‘Voice Switch’ technically called a Voice Communication System (VCS) has several parts:
  • Switch: connects and changes the ‘calls’.
  • Position: a panel to ‘speed dial’, headset and/or loudspeaker to hear, and microphone to speak into.
  • Air-to-Ground (A/G) Interface: talk to pilots via multiple radios and frequencies.
  • Ground-to-Ground (G/G) Interface: talk to voice switches in other ground facilities and to local emergency responders.
  • Maintenance and configuration systems: to keep the system updated and working as needed.

Why are voice switches important?

• Voice Switches are categorized as:
  • Safety critical: A key service in the protection of human life. Loss of a safety-critical service increases the risk in the loss of human life.
  • Mission critical: Services that provide the NAS the capability to exercise safe separation and control over aircraft.

What is a voice recorder?

• A NAS Voice Recorder (NVR) is like an airplane’s ‘black box.’ But it is on the ground co-located with voice switches. NVRs provide legally acceptable recordings of the conversations taking place between controllers and pilots, controllers to controllers, and other ground personnel. NVRs are also used for search and rescue operations.

What is the Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS)?

• BNATCS will modernize and replace aging NAS infrastructure and systems across key operational domains, including communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. The FAA will acquire the services of a qualified Integrator to facilitate and execute the FAA’s NAS modernization effort.