The Federal Aviation Administration forecasts the count of U.S. air passengers will increase by 2.5% every year starting in 2011 which enhances the need for its Next Generation Air Transportation System.

The prediction released by FAA said yearly U.S. air passengers will increase from 704 million to 1 billion by 2023. The departures and arrivals will rise from 51 million to 70 million by 2030.

“This forecast makes a very strong business case for NextGen. Without NextGen, we won’t be able to handle the increased demand for service that this forecast anticipates.” said in a report by FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. NextGen is enhancing the nationwide air traffic control from a land supported radar system to a satellite-and-plane based GPS system.

NextGen Aviation Research and Technology Park is under construction in Egg Harbor Township in southern New Jersey which will make space for companies operational on the system with the close William J. Hughes Technical Center at Atlantic City International Airport. Once the construction is finished, the 55 acre park is projected to host 2,000 technology jobs.

On 2010 due to economic depression, the FAA is forecasting a 0.5% raise in domestic air passengers, and a decline of 2.7% in total airport operations. The revision in the agencies annual forecast an exceptional drop in business last year, when take-offs and landings fell 10.4%.