B-52 Minimum Interval Takeoffs

Ten B-52H Stratofortress bombers took part in a minimum interval takeoff exercise at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. A MITO is a maneuver that B-52 crews use to get aircraft off the ground as quickly as possible to complete a mission. Each aircraft is equipped with eight starter cartridges, one per engine, filled with gunpowder, which allows the engines to start up faster than for a normal takeoff.