WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Billionaire presidential adviser Elon Musk on Thursday said a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration communications system operated by Verizon is months away from failure and putting air safety at risk.

Elon Musk said Thursday that Verizon’s efforts to provide a critically needed upgrade to the FAA’s air traffic control system is failing. And he said that it is important that Starlink, a unit of his SpaceX satellite and rocket company,

The Washington Post is reporting that the FAA is close to canceling a major contract with Verizon to upgrade the agency’s air traffic control system and award the work to Elon Musk’s company, Starlink.

The move comes after the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is close to canceling a $2.4 billion contract awarded to Verizon to overhaul a communications system,

Turning the $2.4 billion project over to Musk’s company would be a major test of conflict-of-interest rules in government contracting.

W hen Musk and his allies turned their attention to the FAA last month, they identified a problem: The communications infrastructure used by the agency to manage air-traffic control and aviation safety dates to 2002. It still relies on copper-based wiring and traditional radio. It’s showing its age.

SpaceX denied Starlink would "take over" existing FAA contracts amid reports Verizon's $2.4 billion contract to upgrade air traffic control is in jeopardy.

Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX said on Wednesday that its Starlink satellite unit has no intent to take over any Federal Aviation Administration telecommunications contract, rejecting media reports.

SpaceX confirmed Wednesday that it is leasing Starlink kits and service to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for free but denied any push to take over Verizon’s contract to build an

It's he starkest test yet of Musk’s ability to not just shrink government, but to turn his political power into potential business for his companies.