Kristen Smith 
- Air Space Intelligence has won an $875 million FAA contract to modernize the National Airspace System with software and AI capabilities
- The 12-year deal covers deployment of two platforms: FMDS, which will anchor the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center, and SMART, which manages traffic demand before flights take off
- The FAA says the tools will cut delays, improve traffic flow and boost airspace capacity by uniting operational data and predictive modeling
Air Space Intelligence has secured an $875 million contract from the Federal Aviation Administration to provide software and artificial intelligence capabilities supporting the modernization of the National Airspace System.
What Will ASI Deliver Under the FAA Contract?
The 12-year award covers deployment of the FAA’s Flow Management Data and Services, or FMDS, platform, which will serve as the technology backbone of the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center, and Strategic Management of Airspace, Routing and Trajectories, or SMART, an advanced capability within FMDS designed to help manage air traffic demand before flights depart, ASI said Monday.
According to the FAA, the technologies will help reduce delays, improve traffic flow and increase airspace capacity by combining operational data, predictive modeling and decision-support tools into a unified platform.
SMART continuously analyzes airline schedules, weather conditions, airport capacity, airspace constraints and other operational factors to identify potential congestion and recommend more efficient routing and scheduling decisions. FMDS provides the data and traffic flow analysis used to support those decisions.
“We’re thrilled to partner with ASI to begin developing these two new software platforms. Once implemented, we will fundamentally reshape how the airspace is managed – slashing thousands of delays and cancellations in the process,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
How Does the Award Support FAA Modernization Efforts?
The award represents the latest step in the FAA’s broader effort to modernize air traffic control infrastructure and operations.
Earlier this year, the FAA awarded contracts to RTX and Indra to replace hundreds of aging radar systems across the national airspace system. In December 2025, the Department of Transportation selected Peraton as prime integrator for a broader air traffic control modernization initiative focused on telecommunications networks, software, hardware and other core infrastructure.
Under the new FMDS and SMART contract, ASI will support the FAA’s effort to build a new air traffic control system that integrates operational data, predictive analytics and traffic management capabilities.
The FAA has targeted an initial operational deployment of SMART in fall 2026.
What Experience Does ASI Bring to the Program?
ASI said its Flyways AI platform is already supporting flight routing, air traffic management and safety operations across a significant portion of U.S. domestic air travel.
The company’s technology is also used by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command to support mission planning and operational decision-making.
“ASI has spent years building and proving our technology in the most demanding operational environments in American aviation with the major airlines and the Department of War,” said Bernard Asare, president of civil aviation at ASI.
“We have invested nearly $100 million of our own resources to develop a platform that is operational today, and we are honored to bring that same proven capability to the FAA and to the American people at national scale,” he added.
