The Boeing YC-14 first flew in 1976 and could takeoff with a payload of 27,000 pounds in less than 1,000 feet in order to carry troops and equipment into battle zones with short, temporary airfields. Cargo and wheeled vehicles could be loaded into the wide fuselage via a built-in tail ramp. Although the YC-14 never went into production, the two prototypes introduced significant technological breakthroughs, most notably an upper-surface-blowing (USB) design for high aerodynamic lift. The achievements of the YC-14 contributed in a significant way to advance studies of STOL technology.