A Department of War memorandum directs agencies and contractors to remove Anthropic AI products from all defense networks and systems.

The U.S. Department of War has ordered the removal of AI products developed by Anthropic from all Department of War systems and networks within 180 days, according to a memorandum issued by the department’s Chief Information Officer. The directive follows the Pentagon’s earlier determination that Anthropic represents a supply chain risk.

The directive states that the use of Anthropic products presents “an unacceptable supply chain risk for use in all DoW systems and networks,” requiring defense components to discontinue their use across the department.

Programs must remove Anthropic products from all systems and networks, including government-furnished devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. The memo states that removal should occur “as soon as practical,” but must be completed within 180 days of the memorandum’s issuance. The order also applies to contractors in the Defense Industrial Base whose systems support defense operations.

The directive further requires the removal of Anthropic products from approved procurement lists and e-commerce marketplaces used to purchase information technology hardware, software, and services for defense systems. Contracting officers must notify contractors of the requirement within 30 days, and Defense Industrial Base partners must certify compliance in writing by the 180-day deadline.

The department said the removal should be prioritized for systems that support critical missions, including national security systems, nuclear command, control, and communications, continuity of government programs, ballistic missile defense, and high-risk warfighting capabilities.

Temporary licenses may be used during the transition period if tied to an approved migration plan, but waivers are prohibited except for rare exemptions approved by the Department of War’s Chief Information Officer.