The White House's request for $136 million of its Data Communications (Data Comm) program in Fiscal Year 2020 comes as the FAA prepares for the rollout of the technology at the nation's air route traffic control centers (ARTCC). Data Comm provides a means for air traffic controllers and pilots to communicate digitally. The FAA completed deployment of the technology at 55 airports in 2016, two and a half years ahead of schedule, and then expanded to seven more airports last year. Looking to the en route environment, the FAA said testing is now under way at ARTCCs. Deployment and initial services are expected to be in place by next year, with full en route services anticipated by 2022.
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