Intelligence agencies identified a group of Houthi and Iranian advisers in northern Yemen running three weapons development programs: the first was a guided rocket that used a commodity phone-class flight computer with final-phase homing guidance; the second involved developing and building a multi-stage ballistic missile with a range of at least 2,000 kilometers. The third effort was developing a multi-use missile, with one variant being a hypersonic glide vehicle that could travel at high speeds over distances depending on the weight of explosives carried. A 100 kg warhead traveled a short distance; a 10 kg warhead could travel hundreds of kilometers.

The developers used Claude AI because they did not have access to software engineers who would work for Islamic terrorists. Houthis used Claude Code instead of human software engineers to develop the GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) software that steers and stabilizes a flying vehicle. For example, they used Claude to integrate an open-source autopilot onto a phone-class flight computer, write control and position-estimation software, tune control settings, run a firmware build pipeline, and perform flight simulation. The actors managed several Claude instances at once, assigning each a role, much as a lead would delegate work to a small engineering team: one instance wrote the code, another did research, and a third reviewed the code the first instance produced.

Western CyberWar safeguards blocked many of their requests, but not all. The actors used a variety of tactics to evade our safeguards, including hiding their goals and the software's intended use, and they split their work across multiple sessions, so no single session revealed their full intent.

These actors sustained efforts to develop guided weapons, including using Claude to design guidance software. No evidence shows the actors fielded an operational device, but they did test-fire a guided rocket. This field test appears to have failed: within hours, the actors returned to Claude to figure out why.

Expect more of this. AI systems democratize expertise and capability. Most of the time that’s a good thing, but sometimes it’s not. Claude is Anthropic’s AI assistant designed to help users solve complex problems, write, code, analyze data, and collaborate efficiently across tasks. Claude is a next-generation AI assistant built for problem solvers, with capabilities ranging from writing and research to coding and data analysis. It serves as a versatile thinking partner, helping users refine ideas, structure content, and tackle multi-step projects precisely. Claude can help craft professional emails, social media posts, reports, and other written materials, iterating with users to preserve clarity, tone, and style.

Claude's primary functions include Intelligent Writing and Collaboration: Claude helps users brainstorm, refine, and polish ideas. It can summarize documents, support creative writing, and help with collaborative projects, making complex tasks more manageable. Coding Assistance: Claude can review code, debug, and explain solutions in multiple programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and React. It can plan multi-step tasks, adapt as projects evolve, and scale from small scripts to enterprise-level development. Data Analysis and Research: Claude can analyze spreadsheets, interpret charts, evaluate decisions, and extract insights from uploaded documents, PDFs, or screenshots. It also integrates with cloud services like Google Drive, Gmail, and Calendar to bring context into problem-solving. Conversational and Customizable: Accessible via chat or API.

Claude is designed to be helpful, honest, and steerable. Users can direct its tone, personality, and behavior, making interactions more natural and tailored to specific needs. Integration and Productivity: Claude works with local files and cloud-based apps to organize folders, build reports, and automate workflows. It is integrated with platforms like Notion and Quora, enhancing productivity and learning experiences.

There are two types of Claude. The standard Claude is a powerful system for developing complex entities. The other version is Quick Claude, which Anthropic describes as able to develop simpler entities faster and at less cost than any human team. Anthropic describes Claude as most effective for medical, legal, or STEM practitioners. This version of Claude also helps professionals, students, or teams who need AI to quickly analyze problems and deliver implementable solutions. As usual, Claude also boosts productivity by surfacing actionable items as you work through problems, providing clear insights, and helping you develop the software you need.

James F Dunnigan