Indonesia is preparing to modernize the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier after acquiring the vessel from Italy, with domestic companies and shipyards expected to participate in the upgrade work.
The warship previously served with the Italian Navy until it was decommissioned in 2024 and was later offered to Jakarta as a grant by the Italian government. The carrier is expected to arrive ahead of the anniversary of the Indonesian National Armed Forces on October 5. Once operational, Indonesia will become the second country in Southeast Asia to operate such a vessel after Thailand.
According to Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, head of the Defense Information Bureau under the Ministry of Defense’s Secretariat General, Indonesian companies will be selected in line with the country’s official procurement procedures. Although the modernization work will primarily be handled locally, foreign suppliers may still provide certain systems or components not produced domestically.
The vessel was originally built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and served in the Italian Navy from 1985 until 2024. Measuring 180.2 meters (591 feet) in length, the short take-off and vertical landing aircraft carrier is designed to operate both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. It has a displacement of around 13,850 tons and can reach speeds of up to 30 knots (55.5 kilometers or 34.5 miles per hour).
Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia, had previously shown interest in acquiring the vessel while serving as defense minister between 2019 and 2024, including during a visit to Italy in 2022 focused on defense modernization discussions.
Although the ship itself was offered as a grant, the Indonesian government has allocated funds estimated at about 7.2 million Indonesian rupiah (approximately $427 million) for upgrades and maintenance to adapt the carrier to the navy’s operational requirements.
Once modernization is complete, the vessel is expected to serve as a headquarters ship for naval operations. Analysts have noted that the carrier could also play a role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions across Indonesia’s vast archipelago, while supporting combat operations or drone deployment if required. However, some critics warn that the financial burden of operating an aircraft carrier could place additional pressure on the country’s defense budget.
