By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it will install enhanced safety technology at 74 airports by the end of 2026 to help detect runway incursions.
The FAA is installing the Runway Incursion Device, a memory aid for air traffic controllers that indicates when a runway is occupied.
The system is operational at four airports and will be installed at another 70 airports over the next 19 months.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier on Wednesday that he plans to announce in the next few days a plan to overhaul the U.S. air traffic control system to replace aging technologies.
The Jan. 29 fatal Army helicopter and American Airlines regional jet collision that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport has also rekindled concerns about aviation safety.
Duffy said last week that he plans to ask Congress for tens of billions of dollars to reform air traffic control.
The Government Accountability Office says the FAA must take urgent action to address aging air traffic control systems, saying that one-third are unsustainable.
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The FAA said in October that it was opening an audit into runway incursion risks at the 45 busiest U.S. airports.
Over the last two years, a series of troubling near-miss incidents