Indonesia has a new and interesting story in its naval history. The Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi has arrived in Indonesia and will now become part of the Indonesian Navy. The ship will also have a new name and sail under the Indonesian flag.
For me, this is interesting because Indonesia has never operated an aircraft carrier like this before.
The Garibaldi is also a very large ship and has a long history with the Italian Navy.
In this article, I would like to share what I know about the Garibaldi. I will talk about why Italy transferred the ship to Indonesia, its arrival and first docking at Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, its new name, the possible cost, and how Indonesia may use the ship in the future.
Enjoy ya.
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The Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier arrived in Indonesia and was welcomed by a jet ski team as it entered Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on Friday (September 18, 2026).The Italian aircraft carrier traveled from Italy to Indonesia for three weeks. Photo source: Kompas.com reporter on location. |
Why Did Italy Give the Garibaldi to Indonesia?
One question that many people may ask is why Italy transferred the Garibaldi aircraft carrier to Indonesia. The ITS Giueseppe Garibaldi is an old aircraft carrier that served the Italian Navy for many years. Italy now has newer ships and newer technology, so the Garibaldi has reached the later part of its service life. For Italy, transferring an older ship can also reduce the cost and work needed to keep the ship in service. For Indonesia, however, this is something new and interesting.
The Garibaldi can give the Indonesian Navy a chance to learn more about operating a large aircraft carrier. Indonesian Navy personnel can learn about ship operations, training, maintenance, logistics, and naval aviation.
I think this is also an opportunity for Indonesia to get more experience with a large naval ship. Of course, operating an aircraft carrier is not a simple matter. Indonesia will need trained personnel, proper facilities, maintenance, and other support. The transfer can also bring Indonesia and Italy closer in naval cooperation. So, for Indonesia, the Garibaldi is not only about receiving a large ship. It also brings a new experience and a new responsibility.
The First Time Docking at Tanjung Priok
Another interesting part is the arrival of the Garibaldi at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta. Tanjung Priok is one of the important ports in Indonesia. So, the arrival of a large aircraft carrier there is certainly something interesting to see.
For many Indonesians, seeing an aircraft carrier in an Indonesian port may be a new experience. The Garibaldi is much bigger and looks very different from the smaller warships that we normally see.
After many years of serving the Italian Navy, the ship is now starting a new journey with Indonesia. I think this makes the arrival quite special.
The arrival at Tanjung Priok is also useful for Indonesian Navy personnel. They can become more familiar with the ship, check its facilities, and prepare everything needed to operate and maintain it. For ordinary Indonesians, the arrival is simply an interesting moment in Indonesian naval history. It is not every day that we can see an aircraft carrier arriving at an Indonesian port.
The arrival at Tanjung Priok is also useful for Indonesian Navy personnel. They can become more familiar with the ship, check its facilities, and prepare everything needed to operate and maintain it. For ordinary Indonesians, the arrival is simply an interesting moment in Indonesian naval history. It is not every day that we can see an aircraft carrier arriving at an Indonesian port.
Two different angles of the Giuseppe Garibaldi, which has now become
KRI Sriwijaya-100, arriving in Indonesia.
The New Official Name: KRI Sriwijaya-100
The former Italian Garibaldi will also receive a new Indonesian identity. The ship will officially become KRI Sriwijaya. Giving an Indonesian name to the ship is an important step because it shows that the vessel is now part of Indonesia's naval force.
The name Sriwijaya is also interesting because Sriwijaya was a famous maritime kingdom in the history of Southeast Asia. The official inauguration of the name will therefore be an important ceremony for Indonesia. The ship will no longer be known simply as the Italian Garibaldi. It will now sail under the Indonesian flag and carry the name KRI Sriwijaya.
'As far as I am concerned, Indonesia does not have any VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) fighter jets, such as the Sea Harrier, or any VTOL fifth-generation fighter So, maybe KRI Sriwijaya is only designed to accommodate helicopters.The runway used for fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier will not be used.There is another country in Southeast Asia with an aircraft carrier: Thailand , HTMS Chakri Naruebet: Thailand operates an aircraft carrier/light carrier, while Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam: They do not operate conventional aircraft carriers.'
For me, this is one of the most interesting parts of the whole story. A ship that spent many years serving another country is now starting a new chapter in Indonesia. It will be interesting to see how KRI Sriwijaya will be used and what role it will have in the future of the Indonesian Navy.
Expensive Maintenance and Uses Beyond Combat
Having an aircraft carrier is certainly impressive. But Indonesia also needs to think about the cost of operating and maintaining such a large ship.An aircraft carrier needs fuel, spare parts, regular maintenance, trained personnel, technical support, and suitable port facilities.
Expensive Maintenance and Uses Beyond Combat
Having an aircraft carrier is certainly impressive. But Indonesia also needs to think about the cost of operating and maintaining such a large ship.An aircraft carrier needs fuel, spare parts, regular maintenance, trained personnel, technical support, and suitable port facilities.
All of these things can cost a lot of money.
The age of the ship is also something to consider. An older ship may need more maintenance and some parts may need to be replaced. So, Indonesia needs to think about the long-term cost of operating KRI Sriwijaya.
The program financing was approved at around US$450 million. The exchange rate mentioned was 1 US dollar = IDR 17,919.00 as of September 24 at 06:31 UTC.
But I think the aircraft carrier may have uses beyond combat. Indonesia is a large archipelagic country with thousands of islands. Indonesia also often faces natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.
The program financing was approved at around US$450 million. The exchange rate mentioned was 1 US dollar = IDR 17,919.00 as of September 24 at 06:31 UTC.
But I think the aircraft carrier may have uses beyond combat. Indonesia is a large archipelagic country with thousands of islands. Indonesia also often faces natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.
In some disaster situations, sending help to certain areas can be difficult. A large ship could possibly be used to help with disaster relief, evacuation, medical assistance, and transportation of food and other supplies.So, KRI Sriwijaya may have a role beyond military operations. It could also be useful for helping people during natural disasters and other emergencies.
A New Chapter for Indonesia
The arrival of the former Garibaldi and its new identity as KRI Sriwijaya is certainly interesting for Indonesia.It brings a new type of naval capability, but it also brings new responsibilities. Indonesia will need to prepare its personnel, facilities, budget, and maintenance system to operate such a large ship.
For me, the most interesting question is not only how big the aircraft carrier is or how impressive it looks when it arrives at Tanjung Priok.I am more interested in how Indonesia will use it in the future. Can KRI Sriwijaya also be useful for disaster relief and humanitarian missions?
We will have to wait and see.
For now, the arrival of KRI Sriwijaya is a new chapter in Indonesia's maritime history. I hope this large ship can be useful for Indonesia and, when needed, also help Indonesian people during disasters and other emergencies.
From many resources
Why shouldn't Italy present Indonesia a new ship instead of an old one that might already be unsafe to sail?
ReplyDeleteI have searched the whole internet for answering your question, Mrs. Irina. Yes, Italy delivered that aircraft carrier for some reasons. One of the reasons is that the aircraft carrier is no longer used by Italy and costs a fortune to maintain. However, Italy has a positive foreign policy behind the country's initiative to deliver the aircraft carrier for free because Indonesia may order more self-defense equipment from Italy in the future.
DeleteFor Indonesia, it is positive, especially for the Southeast Asian region, because only two countries already have such aircraft carriers: Thailand and Indonesia. It gives Indonesia a deterrent effect toward its neighbors. This aircraft carrier is still working for another 20 years, and the cost of maintaining it is not as expensive as building our own aircraft carrier.
That is part of the information I have already gathered from different sources.
Thank you for your detailed explanation!
DeleteHello Asep,
ReplyDeleteas you explained in your interesting article, that's a win-win situation. Actually, on the one hand, Indonesia gets its first aircraft carrier ("something new and interesting" for Indonesian Navy, as you rightly mentioned). On the other hand, The Italian government can reduce costs for maintaining and keeping the Garibaldi aircraft carrier in service, as Italy is going to build newer ships.
For Indonesia, the KRI Sriwijaya aircraft carrier (that's its new name) will be a strategic tool in the key Southeast Asian maritime corridor, which connects southwest China directly to Southeast Asiaregion.
Glad to hear Italy and Indonesia will be in touch in terms of import-export in the near future. In addition, I know that many Italians have been investing in your country since early 2020s.
I appreciate you writing such interesting article, Asep.
Greetings,
Giorgio
Thank you for your comments here. I really appreciate it. I love this theme also because it is the very first time for our national navy armada to get a huge aircraft carrier, just like other countries already have.
DeleteI got inspiration from movies that show aircraft carriers, such as 'Behind Enemy Lines', 'Top Gun: Maverick', and so on. And no, I was not dreaming again. This is really happening in Indonesia. We have our own aircraft carrier! However, Indonesia does not have VTOL fighter jets at the moment. That is okay because the goal of Indonesia using this aircraft carrier is for emergency operations, such as disasters, rather than combat missions. I am so proud of the Indonesian Navy in every way.
Some Italian companies and investors have been active in Indonesia for decades, including in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and consumer goods.
Muito legal Asep é importante que a Indonésia tenho o seu porta avião, abraços.
ReplyDeleteSim, na verdade temos orgulho disso. Parece coisa de filme, mas é realidade: finalmente temos nosso próprio navio de guerra ou porta-aviões.
DeleteThat's wonderful news. I'm happy to hear that. I think you're right about the different types of situations it can be used for now too.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reposting my blog post on X, ma’am. I really didn’t expect that, and I truly appreciate it. Happy Saturday! 😊
DeleteA Indonésia beneficiou de uma dádiva que lhe permite aumentar os seus recursos.
ReplyDeleteAbraço de amizade.
Juvenal Nunes
Acredito que este possa ser um dos resultados positivos da cooperação bilateral entre a Itália e a República da Indonésia, baseada na compreensão mútua e na cooperação no domínio da defesa marítima entre os dois países.
Delete