Summary

OIG has issued a report presenting the results of its latest review of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system. ADS-B is the satellite-based navigation and surveillance system that supplements radar as the surveillance method for monitoring and controlling aircraft. This integral component of FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program will allow controllers to track aircraft with greater accuracy and integrity than the current radar-based system. Our audit objective was to evaluate how FAA is addressing security issues in ADS-B’s design and implementation. Specifically, we (1) assessed FAA’s progress in addressing the security weaknesses we identified in our previous audit, (OIG Report Number FI-2011-181, September 29, 2011) and (2) determined what other weaknesses, if any, have developed.

DOT has determined that this entire report is sensitive security information (SSI) that is controlled under 49 CFR parts 15 and 1520. No part of this record may be disclosed to any person without a “need to know” as defined in 49 CFR parts 15 and 1520, except with the written permission of the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration or the Secretary of Transportation. Unauthorized release may result in civil penalty or other action. For U.S. Government agencies, public disclosure is governed by 5 U.S.C. 552 and 49 CFR parts 15 and 1520.