Video

Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

KC-135 Minimum Interval Takeoff

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

March 7, 2024 | 1:22

B-roll video shows two U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing performing a Minimum Interval Takeoff or MITO at the Sioux City, Iowa airport on March 7, 2024.

The technique of taking off so closely comes with some safety concerns such as wake turbulence.

During a MITO, the time between aircraft taking off is greatly reduced in an effort to take off as quickly as possible. A Minimum Interval Takeoff is performed by bomber and tanker aircraft as part of requirements that test their ability to scramble aircraft at twelve to fifteen second intervals.