Broken Arrow1996

[on whether to disclose the loss of a stealth bomber]

Secretary Baird:
"The U.S. Air Force regrets to announce that a C-141 cargo plane went down over the Utah desert... the status of the crew have yet to be determined, yaddah yaddah yaddah..." Well, that's very nice bullshit, Rick.

Giles Prentice:
Wait. We're making a mistake.

Secretary Baird:
Giles? You have something you wish to share with us?

Prentice:
Yes. Aviation Week has been following the development of the B3 for years. They have "stringers" - guys camping out in lawn chairs all night by the Whiteman perimeter fence- watching just in case one of these things take off. They're gonna know that one took off last night, and they're gonna know that it didn't come back. Now, we put out a press-release saying a C141 went down in Utah, they're going to put two and two together, Aviation Week is going to run a story, everyone's gonna know what really happened, and we're all going to look extremely... stupid. We're better off just telling the truth.

Baird:
The truth? How'd you get this job? [The officers and officials in the room laugh. Baird speaks to an aide.] Write it down, like Giles said.

[After the meeting.]

Baird:
"Guys in lawn chairs"... I don't know, Giles. Sometimes you scare me.

Prentice:
Hell, sir. Sometimes I scare myself.