Verizon FAA system puts US air safety at risk, says Starlink owner Musk

Elon Musk on Thursday said a U.S, Federal Aviation Administration communication system operated by Verizon is months away from failure and putting air safety at risks.

Musk, the world's richest person and a senior adviser to President Donald Trump who is working on restructuring the federal government, owns the Starlink satellite system which is a rival to Verizon's. Verizon operates the largest U.S. wireless network.

"The Verizon communication system to air traffic control is breaking down very rapidly. The FAA assessment is single digit months to catastrophic failure, putting air traveler safety at serious risk," Musk, said in a post on social media platform X.

This week, the FAA said it was testing three Starlink terminals at a government facility in Alaska to address concerns about reliable weather information for the aviation community in that state.

"The FAA has been considering the use of Starlink since the prior administration to increase reliability at remote sites, including in Alaska," the FAA said this week. The agency did not immediately comment on Musk's tweet.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that the FAA was close to canceling a $2.4 billion contract awarded to Verizon in 2023 to overhaul a communications system, and awarding the work to Musk's Starlink. The FAA said it has not made any decision on the contract.

Verizon did not immediately comment on Musk's remarks. The company said this week company it was at the beginning of a 15-year contract with the FAA "that will help the agency modernize its technology. Protecting Americans who rely on a safe, secure and functioning air traffic control system is more important than ever, and our enhancements will help make that happen."