Officials say FAA nationwide ground stop followed L3Harris network upgrade, not a cyberattack
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted departures at all U.S. airports on November 13, 2026, after communication problems hit the centers that guide aircraft between airports. On November 14, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the ground stop followed work by contractor L3Harris Technologies to move part of the FAA's telecommunications network from copper wire to fiber optic cable, and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said there was zero evidence of anything nefarious. More than 9,000 U.S. flights were canceled on November 13, according to FlightAware figures reported by CBS News and NPR.