About Arcane Thunder

Arcane Thunder 25 is a 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force exercise with U.S. Army and
multinational partners in May 2025 in Utska, Poland; Mainz-Kastel, Germany; and Fort
Huachuca, Arizona. This exercise will integrate joint forces, Allies, and partner capabilities to strengthen our ability to defend U.S. homeland and the protect our Allies.

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.
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