The Federal Aviation Administration appears likely to drop Verizon and pick Starlink, a satellite company owned by Elon Musk, to take over a contract to modernize the country's air traffic communications system, the Associated Press reported.
Starlink satellite terminals and other equipment have already been installed in FAA facilities as a prelude to its potential takeover of the $2 billion contract — won by Verizon in 2023 — government employees and contractors told the news service. Musk himself has claimed that his competitor is not up to the task, claiming on X earlier this week that "the Verizon system is not working and so is putting air travelers at serious risk." He did not provide evidence to support the assertion.
