The American Forces Network (AFN) is terminating the Direct-to-Home (DTH) Ku-band delivery service on March 22, 2026, and transitioning its service to a Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol. This delivery transition will affect the authorized audience in Japan, Korea, Philippines, Europe, Central Asia, and Southwest Asia to various degrees.
LMDs who receive AFN directly from a satellite dish and AFN decoders in their headend system must:
1) Purchase, install, test, and commission the equipment necessary to receive AFN and distribute SRT streams (this commercially available equipment cannot be provided by AFN.)
2) Adjust their channel lineups and backend systems to accommodate the change and reduction in AFN programming as the linear Movie, Spectrum, and Family channels are transitioned to SRT.
3) Transition from a Ku-band satellite dish (85cm/33 inches in diameter) to acquiring IP services on location to receive the AFN SRT (either broadband internet or Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet services.)
For further questions, please contact the AFN SRT Transition Team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Last Mile Distributor?
ANSWER:
An entity or company that receives audio and video signals from AFN (the supplier) and then delivers that content to the authorized audience.
Last-mile Distribution is the movement of audio and video signals from the point of delivery on the installation to a destination, typically government quarters or buildings, offices, and retail spaces.
What is SRT?
ANSWER:
SRT is a video streaming protocol designed for reliable, encrypted, and secure delivery for high-quality video over commercial internet. It’s an open source technology that addresses challenges of streaming video over the internet such as jitter and bandwidth fluctuations.
What do LMDs need to do to continue AFN service?
ANSWER:
LMDs must ensure they acquire IP services at their location to receive AFN’s SRT feed. Once IP services are acquired, to receive the new AFN SRT feed, your decoder must meet the following technical requirements:
Stream Type: Must be able to decode a Multiprogram Transport Stream (MPTS).
Video Codec: Must support HEVC.
Encryption: Must support SRT AES encryption.
Decoder Quantity: Only one licensed decoder is needed to receive all 8 channels.
While we cannot endorse a specific vendor, other distributors have reported using models from the Sencore Impulse series (e.g., 400D) with success. The final purchasing decision and compatibility responsibility rests with the Last Mile Distributor.
What kind of equipment do LMDs need to receive the new AFN SRT Feed?
ANSWER:
To receive the new AFN SRT feed, your decoder must meet the following technical requirements:
Stream Type: Must be able to decode a Multiprogram Transport Stream (MPTS).
Video Codec: Must support HEVC.
Encryption: Must support SRT AES encryption.
Decoder Quantity: Only one licensed decoder is needed to receive all 8 channels. Choice of SRT decoder/s must be capable of both SRT MPTS and native or licensed Zixi support. This is a mandatory capability.
While we cannot endorse a specific vendor, other distributors have reported using models from the Sencore Impulse series (e.g., 400D) with success. The final purchasing decision and compatibility responsibility rests with the Last Mile Distributor.
How do LMDs sign up to get SRT Distribution?
ANSWER:
Please email us to get signed up. Our AFN Broadcast Operations engineering team manages this transition and will provide you with the necessary technical details and connection settings to get started.
What are some key dates for the SRT Transition?
ANSWER:
Here are the official key dates for the AFN SRT transition:
Dual Illumination Period: February 23, 2026 – March 22, 2026. During this time, the new SRT stream is considered "live," and distributors can cut over from the satellite feed.
Official DTH Satellite Shutdown: March 22, 2026. After this date, the satellite feed will no longer be available.
Please plan to complete your transition to the SRT feed before the March 22nd deadline.
Can AFN help LMDs set up, troubleshoot, or connect equipment?
ANSWER:
AFN's primary responsibility is to deliver a high-quality, stable SRT stream to your designated IP endpoint. Our technical support is focused on the integrity and availability of this signal from our broadcast center to your network's edge.
In keeping with government policy, we cannot recommend, endorse, or appear to advertise any specific commercial product or vendor.
Once the AFN stream is successfully delivered, the responsibility for its management, processing, and distribution rests with you as the Last Mile Distributor (LMD). This includes all technical aspects "downstream" from the point of delivery, such as internal network configuration, decoder setup, and signal transcoding.
We are here to support you in every way possible within our defined role and can answer any questions you have about the specifications of the AFN SRT stream itself.
Who will pay for the new equipment?
ANSWER:
For Last Mile Distributors (LMDs): LMDs are responsible for purchasing, installing, and testing the equipment needed to receive the new SRT feed.
For Individual Users / Separated Enclaves: The primary, no-cost alternative for these users is the AFN Now streaming app. The free AFN Now app allows you to stream AFN content directly to your personal devices (iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, etc.). You can find out more at now.afn.mil.
For further questions, please contact the AFN SRT Transition Team.
What about the 4-channel C-band satellite service?
ANSWER:
The 4-channel, C-band service, often referred to as Direct-to-Sailor, will remain operational until this fall.
For AFN Last Mile Distributors who require a professional solution, we recommend acquiring IP services at your location to receive the Secure Reliable Transport, either via broadband or Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet services (such as Starlink or Starshield).
Once IP services are acquired, to receive the new AFN SRT feed, your decoder must meet the following technical requirements:
Stream Type: Must be able to decode a Multiprogram Transport Stream (MPTS).
Video Codec: Must support HEVC.
Encryption: Must support SRT AES encryption.
Decoder Quantity: Only one licensed decoder is needed to receive all 8 channels. Choice of SRT decoder/s must be capable of both SRT MPTS and native or licensed Zixi support. This is a mandatory capability.
While we cannot endorse a specific vendor, other distributors have reported using models from the Sencore Impulse series (e.g., 400D) with success. The final purchasing decision and compatibility responsibility rests with the Last Mile Distributor.