JATO
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JATO is a type of assisted take-off for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets. The term JATO is used interchangeably with the term RATO,
The first "rocket-assisted" take-off in the United States, a GALCIT booster fitted to an ERCO Ercoupe, at March Field, California, 1941
A German Arado 234 Blitz fitted with Starthilfe RATO units
Starthilfe RATO (left) on the starboard wing of Arado Ar 234 B-2 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.
The US Navy's Blue Angels C-130 Hercules "Fat Albert" using JATO during takeoff
Zero-length launch
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The zero-length launch system or zero-length take-off system is a PTOL method whereby jet fighters and attack aircraft could be launched using rocket motors to rapidly gain speed and altitude, in part
JATO
…Nevertheless, Sprite fittings were retained on production Comet 1s but were rendered unnecessary with subsequent engine upgrades. In the late 1950s, zero-length launch experimental programs for launching fighter aircraft were carried out by the United States Air Force, the German Air Force and the Soviet Air Forces…
A USAF F-100D Super Sabre using a zero-length-launch system
F-84 during ZELL testing
A Lockheed F-104G during tests at Edwards Air Force Base