L3Harris Technologies Under Scrutiny Following Nationwide FAA Ground Stop
L3Harris Technologies, a defense contractor based in Melbourne, Florida, is facing scrutiny after a nationwide ground stop of U.S. flights on November 13, 2026. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet identified the root cause of the technological disruption, but officials have cited issues with routers and networking equipment, including products and services from L3Harris. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated, "Until I can build [the new architecture], I'm stuck with L3Harris, who owns this network." L3Harris manages the FAA's telecommunications network, which supports approximately 45,000 daily U.S. flights and connects over 4,400 facilities. The company is currently upgrading this network from legacy copper wires to a fiber-optic system, with more than 70% of the conversion completed. L3Harris has issued a statement confirming its support for the FAA's investigation into the incident, acknowledging the significant impact on travelers, airlines, and air traffic operations.
