MakinaRocks deploys 'Equipment Operation AI Advisor' aboard Navy's ROKS Pohang… begins field validation

October 6, 2026 (Tue), Seoul – MakinaRocks (CEO Yoon Sung-ho), a leading Korean physical AI company, announced on the 6th that it has installed its 'Equipment Operation AI Advisor' aboard the ROKS Pohang (frigate) of the Navy's 1st Fleet Command and begun field validation operations.

The project was carried out as part of the 'Defense Innovation Company 100 Dedicated Technology Development Support Program' run by the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT). Its aim is to respond to changes in force structure caused by a shrinking pool of military personnel and to the high difficulty of operating and maintaining warships that concentrate hundreds of pieces of equipment, by narrowing information gaps that stem from differences in sailors' proficiency and helping them use manuals and guidelines more quickly in the field.

Based on its AI operating system (AI OS) 'Runway', MakinaRocks applied AI agent framework technology to develop the Equipment Operation AI Advisor, trained on related materials such as naval gun technical manuals and maintenance documents. In particular, it built a lightweight on-device AI operating environment to account for the closed-network environment of warships, where external network connections are restricted. This helps sailors check the information they need more quickly during equipment operation and use the relevant manuals and guidelines efficiently.

After being installed aboard the Pohang, the Equipment Operation AI Advisor was confirmed to work properly, and a demonstration for key officers including the Commander of the Navy's 1st Fleet was successfully completed. Even after the demonstration, it will be operated in a real warship environment to validate its field applicability. MakinaRocks plans to develop the system by reflecting field feedback collected during actual operation, and the Navy plans to consider expanding its application to various vessels and defense areas based on the results of this validation.

With the Pohang validation as a turning point, MakinaRocks plans to continue advancing AI technology that supports sailors' equipment operation in real defense settings. The company intends to expand the scope of application to various weapon systems and equipment across the Army, Navy and Air Force to help strengthen AI capabilities in the defense field.

"This Pohang demonstration is meaningful in that it confirmed AI technology can practically support weapon system operation even in the closed-network and on-device environment of an actual warship," said Yoon Sung-ho, CEO of MakinaRocks. "Going forward, we will actively reflect field input to improve the convenience of military equipment operation and continue developing physical AI technology that can support the advancement of defense capabilities."