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Indonesia Welcomes First Aircraft Carrier
Confirmed
In Short: The Indonesian Navy welcomed its first aircraft carrier, the former Italian ship Giuseppe Garibaldi, renamed KRI Sriwijaya.
The former Italian light aircraft carrier, now KRI Sriwijaya, entered Indonesian waters on September 17, 2026, via the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lane I (ALKI I). The ship, acquired through an intergovernmental grant scheme, will serve as a symbol of Indonesia's maritime strength and disaster response capabilities.
During its journey from Italy, the carrier made port calls in Egypt and Sri Lanka, and was escorted by Italian and Indonesian naval vessels. Upon arrival in Jakarta, it was welcomed by two Indonesian Navy frigates, KRI Brawijaya and KRI Prabu Siliwangi, and a CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft.
The carrier's home port is the Ratai Bay Naval Base in Lampung, South Sumatra, which has been upgraded to accommodate the light aircraft carrier. Defense Minister Gen. (ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin welcomed the ship at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.
Military analyst Khairul Fahmi noted that while aircraft carriers are not a priority for Indonesia, the ship could serve the navy for another 15 to 20 years. The carrier will be refurbished to accommodate helicopters and drones, focusing on Indonesia's maritime security and disaster response capabilities.
What's confirmed
- The two Indonesian Navy PPAs, KRI Brawijaya (320) and KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321), welcomed and escorted the carrier after it entered Indonesian waters.
- Italy is seeking deals on submarines and aircraft, and gifting the carrier to Indonesia also saves it the cost of decommissioning the ship.
- He said the carrier could serve the navy for another 15 to 20 years and could accommodate 14 helicopters or more, depending on their size.
- Ali said the carrier will be commissioned into the navy next week as the KRI Sriwijaya, honoring the Srivijaya empire, a maritime kingdom based in Sumatra that became one of Southeast Asia’s dominant naval and trading powers between the seventh and 13th centuries.
- TB Hasanuddin, a member of Parliament’s Commission I, said the cost of retrofitting the carrier alone could reach 16 trillion rupiah (about $900 million).
- “We will refurbish it and convert it into a carrier for helicopters and drones,” Prabowo said in a video briefing.
- He cited Thailand’s carrier as a cautionary example, saying it has spent much of its service life in port because of operational and budget constraints.
- Military analyst Khairul Fahmi of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies said aircraft carriers are not a priority for Indonesia, which is focused on preventing adversaries from operating freely in the country’s territorial waters.
What's still developing
- Driving two shafts, the ship has a maximum speed of 30 knots and can travel for 7,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of around 20 knots. The ship can accommodate a crew of 550 sailors and carry up to 18 fighters/bombers or helicopters that can be launched from its 170-meter-long flight deck. During its 45 years of service with the Italian Navy, the Giuseppe Garibaldi took part in combat air operations off Somalia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Libya. After lengthy negotiations, Indonesia purchased the ship for €54 million.
- The carrier is powered by four Fiat COGAG gas turbines built under license from General Electric, offering a sustained power of 81,000 hp (60 MW).
- The milestone marks a historic chapter for the service, bringing the country’s first-ever aircraft carrier home.
- The carrier, which will be renamed KRI Sriwijaya, departed Taranto, Italy, on 24 August with a mixed Italian and Indonesian crew under Italian Commanding Officer Capt.
- Italian warships also reportedly escorted the carrier during part of its passage through the Red Sea.
- Unlike the two Multipurpose Combat Ship/Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA) frigates that Indonesia also acquired from Italy, the future KRI Sriwijaya entered Indonesia through the Malacca Strait instead of the Sunda Strait.
- A CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft also took part in the welcoming operation.
- The carrier is also expected to become one of the main features of the Indonesian National Armed Forces’ anniversary celebrations on 5 October.