Indonesia’s first aircraft carrier reaches Jakarta after voyage from Italy

Indonesia’s first aircraft carrier, the former Italian Navy vessel Giuseppe Garibaldi, arrived in Jakarta on September 18 after a three-week voyage from Italy, marking a major expansion of the country’s naval capabilities.

The carrier docked at Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta, where it was received by Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Armed Forces Commander General Agus Subiyanto and the chiefs of the navy, army and air force, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

“Alhamdulillah, the ship has arrived safely, and the journey went smoothly without any issues whatsoever. The ship remains in quite good condition,” Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali told reporters after inspecting the vessel. “Hopefully, it will remain in service with the Indonesian Navy for another 15 to 20 years.”

The Garibaldi, commissioned in 1985 and decommissioned by Italy in 2024, was transferred to Indonesia as a grant valued at more than €54 million.

Ali said the vessel would be renamed KRI Sriwijaya, after the maritime empire that once spanned parts of present-day Sumatra, Java and the Malay Peninsula. It is due to formally enter Indonesian Navy service on September 24.

“(On September 24), there will be a re-flagging from the Italian flag to the Indonesian flag,” Ali said.

The carrier left Taranto, Italy, on August 24, stopping in Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka before reaching Indonesian waters near the Bangka Belitung islands on September 17. Two Indonesian Navy frigates, KRI Brawijaya-320 and KRI Prabu Siliwangi-321, escorted it to Jakarta.

The 180-metre-long, 33-metre-wide vessel is powered by four gas turbines producing about 81,000 horsepower and can reach a top speed of 30 knots. At around 20 knots, it has a range of up to 7,000 nautical miles.

Indonesia’s Defence Ministry has allocated 7.2 trillion rupiah ($518 million) to retrofit and modernise the carrier. Officials have said it will primarily be used for “military operations other than war”, including disaster relief and humanitarian missions.

President Prabowo Subianto said earlier in September that the carrier would help Indonesia respond to forest fires that have affected parts of Kalimantan and southern Sumatra.

“We will refurbish and convert it into a carrier for helicopters and drones,” Prabowo said on September 7, adding that the vessel could accommodate about 10 medium-sized helicopters, each capable of carrying between four and five tonnes of water.

Indonesian Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Tunggul said the vessel could carry more than 10 helicopters and serve as a mobile offshore base for aircraft from the navy, army and air force.

“When handling forest and land fires, (the ship) can carry more than 10 helicopters. The plan is for this vessel to not only carry navy helicopters, but also those from the army and air force, acting as a mobile base platform operating at sea,” Tunggul said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev