US air traffic will get an AI planner: FAA contract worth $875 million

FMDS will replace TFMS, which analyzed flight plans, airline schedules, and aircraft positions to identify congestion several hours in advance. **The new combination.** SMART will become a cloud platform alongside the FAA's existing systems: it will correlate schedules, weather, airport capacity, and airspace restrictions; forecast traffic flows and potential conflicts; then update recommendations as conditions change. In August 2026, the FAA had about 11,000 certified controllers against a target of 12,563, with another 4,000 people in training. Controllers will retain responsibility for safely separating aircraft. According to TechCrunch, SMART will first be deployed in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, then expanded to other regions.