The Pentagon Wars

The Pentagon Wars is a 1998 American comedy film that offers one of the best cinematic illustrations of mismanaging requirements, change, stakeholders, and program quality.

The film chronicles the development of the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle and serves as a powerful visual lesson in how not to manage a program. From the outset, the program lacked a clear deadline, and the goal was to create a “perfect” product—an ambition that led to continuous changes and ballooning costs, eventually reaching tens of billions of dollars.

For more background, you can read the detailed Wikipedia article on the Bradley’s development. The film is based on the book The Pentagon Wars: Reformers Challenge the Old Guard by retired U.S. Air Force Colonel James G. Burton.

So, the Plot of Program Management

The Pentagon Wars centers around Colonel Burton, an officer assigned to test the Bradley Fighting Vehicle under real combat conditions. However, despite his persistent efforts to conduct authentic field tests, the test scenarios are continuously rewritten to ensure the vehicle passes with minimal damage—sound familiar?

At every step, Colonel Burton’s attempts are sabotaged by Major General Partridge and other senior officers. To push for transparency and integrity, Burton is forced to navigate a complex web of stakeholder management, often dealing with conflicting interests. Yet, he adheres strictly to the program’s charter and military chain of command (well, mostly—he’s still a soldier, after all).

After intense congressional hearings, an honest and transparent test is finally conducted, revealing shocking and eye-opening results.

At the beginning of the film, we’re shown the history behind the Bradley program. The vehicle was the brainchild of multiple generations of officers acting under directives from high-level military leadership. The entire chain of requirements management, design evolution, and program changes is depicted—more accurately, what we see is a masterclass in “UNmanagement.”

Short Program Overview

Objective

The initial objectives of the Bradley Program were to develop a light troop carrier vehicle. This vehicle was intended to be agile and capable of transporting soldiers efficiently. Over time, however, the objectives shifted due to continuous design changes, resulting in a vehicle that became more tank-like and could carry only half of its original intended capacity.

Scope

The scope of the Bradley Program initially involved the development of a light troop carrier vehicle. This scope included designing a vehicle that was agile and capable of transporting soldiers effectively. However, the scope evolved over time due to numerous design changes, which altered the vehicle’s characteristics significantly.

Risks and Issues

The Bradley Program faced several risks and issues, including:

1. Scope Creep: The program experienced continuous changes to the vehicle’s design, leading to a significant deviation from its initial objective of developing a light troop carrier.
2. Cost Overruns: The protracted development period resulted in escalating costs, reaching $14 billion.
3. Stakeholder Misalignment: There was a lack of alignment among stakeholders, with higher-ups imposing design changes that conflicted with the original objectives.
4. Manipulated Testing: Test results were manipulated to show favorable outcomes, which posed a risk to the integrity and safety of the final product.

Stakeholders

Lessons Learned

If you’re looking for real-world lessons in the mismanagement of requirements, change control, and program quality—as well as a masterclass in stakeholder management and navigating program documentation—this film is a must-watch in your spare time.