Defense Secretary Backs Plan to Spin Off Air Traffic Control
Proponents of separating air traffic control from the federal government have picked up a new supporter: the Department of Defense (DOD).
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in a recent letter to Sen. John McCain(R-Ariz.) that the department is “supportive of a possible privatization of ATC services and recognizes the potential risks.”
Mattis said DOD has formed an ad hoc committee to assess the agency’s relationship with air traffic control, delineate any linkages that would be necessary and “ensure privatization efforts going forward preserve our national security interests.”