History Film / ThePentagonWars

-> "...A troop transport that can't carry troops, a reconnaissance vehicle that's too conspicuous to do reconnaissance, and a quasi-tank that has less armor than a snowblower, but has enough ammo to take out half of D.C."
-->--'''Sgt. Fanning'''

-> "(...) A troop transport that can't carry troops, a reconnaissance vehicle that's too conspicuous to do reconnaissance, and a quasi-tank that has less armor than a snowblower, but has enough ammo to take out half of D.C."

No, you make a made-for-TV comedy starring KelseyGrammer as a Maj. General Partridge who wants the Bradley in production no matter how much of a liability it is to its own crew, and [[Film/ThePrincessBride Cary Elwes]] as Lt. Colonel Burton, who will do everything he can to prevent that from happening.

!!This made-for-TV movie provides examples of:

The Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicle, as designed, was a deathtrap. If it were to be sent into combat without significant modifications, it could kill hundreds of our own soldiers. So what do you do when the top brass orders you to make it pass the tests, so that it can be deployed in the field on schedule and make them look good? Do you make a somber, tragic movie showing the depths to which humanity can sink? Do you do a scathing news exposé of the affair and demand accountability?

--> "General, were you for or against the Major's testing regimen?"
--> "Absolutely not."
--> "Absolutely not, yes? Or absolutely not, no?"
--> "Absolutely not, absolutely."
* ExecutiveMeddling: In-universe. The top brass change their minds several times about what kind of performance/armament they want the Bradley to have, often in mid-design. Causing [[DevelopmentHell major delays]] and budget overruns. Even worse, they tend to criticize the ''very features they requested previously'', i.e. demanding a larger gun, and then complaining that it gives the vehicle a tank-like silhouette and will ''encourage'' the enemy to target it first.
-->'''Designer:''' " Do you want me to put a sign on it in fifty languages, "I am a troop carrier, not a tank, please don't shoot at me"?"

* YanksWithTanks: The US Army and Air Force play large roles in the film. Viewers can even see the odd [[SemperFi Marine]] or two as well.

* YanksWithTanks: The US Army and Air Force play large roles in the film. Viewers can even see the odd [[SemperFi Marine]] or two as well.

* UndisclosedFunds: Averted - $14 Billion, with a "B".

* BeleagueredBureaucrat: Col. Smith, everytime the Generals above him demand a change to the Bradley's design.

* InsaneTrollLogic: General Partridge's answers to the congressional hearings can be charitably called "disingenuous" and can more accurately be described as nonsensical.
* JurisdictionFriction: Partridge is Army, Burton is Air Force, and only "work" together because the Pentagon has decided to make weapons testing a joint operation.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The top brass change their minds several times about what kind of performance/armament they want the Bradley to have, often in mid-design. Causing [[DevelopmentHell major delays]] and budget overruns. Even worse, they tend to criticize the ''very features they requested previously'', i.e. demanding a larger gun, and then complaining that it gives the vehicle a tank-like silhouette and will ''encourage'' the enemy to target it first.

-->'''Designer''' " Do you want me to put a sign on it in fifty languages, "I am a troop carrier, not a tank, please don't shoot at me"?"

* ExecutiveMeddling: The top brass change their minds several times about what kind of performance/armament they want the Bradley to have, often in mid-design. Causing [[DevelopmentHell major delays]] and budget overruns. Even worse, they tend to criticize the ''very features they requested previously''. [[invoked]]

* MovingTheGoalposts: The various ways the Bradley “passes” it’s readiness tests.

* BittersweetEnding: While Burton does manage to expose the Bradley's flaws and force the army to design a much safer version, it's still not enough to change the system that created it in the first place. General Partridge still gets his promotion and his private sector job opportunities, while Burton is forced to retire.

* DevelopmentHell: The Bradley has been in development for 17 ''years'' as the movie opens. Sadly, TruthInTelevision: Most military projects of this sort takes decades. The problem is that the combination of having the companies designing component features locked in from the start (despite the fact that technology changes extremely rapidly compared to the production period) and the evolving realistic needs of the military, and the demands of the brass, result in a remarkably broken system for development. As this film demonstrates.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The top brass change their minds several times about what kind of performance/armament they want the Bradley to have, often in mid-design. Causing [[DevelopmentHell major delays]] and budget overruns. Even worse, they tend to criticize the ''very features they requested previously''.

* UndisclosedFunds: Averted ''hard'' - $14 Billion, with a "B".

* ReassignedToAntarctica: Burton

* ExecutiveMeddling: The top brass change their minds several times about what kind of performance/armament they want the Bradley to have, often in mid-design. Causing [[DevelopmentHell major delays]] and budget overruns. Even worse, they tend to criticize the ''very features they requested previously'.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The top brass change their minds several times about what kind of performance/armament they want the Bradley to have, often in mid-design. Causing [[DevelopmentHell major delays]] and budget overruns.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Starring {{Frasier}} and [[Film/ThePrincessBride Westley]].
** With [[TheWestWing Toby]] as the BeleagueredBureaucrat in charge of developing the Bradley.
** And [[{{Scrubs}} Dr. Cox]] as one of Partriges cronies.

* DevelopmentHell: The Bradley has been in development for 17 ''years'' as the movie opens.
** Sadly, TruthInTelevision: Most military projects of this sort takes decades. The problem is that the combination of having the companies designing component features locked in from the start (despite the fact that technology changes extremely rapidly compared to the production period) and the evolving realistic needs of the military, and the demands of the brass, result in a remarkably broken system for development. As this film demonstrates.