Indonesia welcomes its first aircraft carrier, prompting debate over cost and military ambitions
Officials say the carrier will support disaster relief and maritime security, while critics warn refurbishment could cost 16 trillion rupiah.
- On Thursday, September 17, 2026, the Italian-built aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi entered Indonesian waters, with arrival at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta scheduled for Friday, September 18, according to Commodore Tunggul.
- Departing Taranto, Italy, on August 24, the ship now renamed KRI Sriwijaya traversed the Malacca Strait rather than the Sunda Strait to reach Indonesia.
- Ahead of the arrival, the Indonesian Navy, Air Force, and Army conducted joint helicopter training on a mock-up deck, with pilots practicing operations from the landing platform dock KRI Makassar .
- President Prabowo Subianto mandated the vessel serve primarily for Military Operations Other Than War, particularly disaster relief, stating, "So if we have 10 helicopters, they can immediately reach the areas hardest hit."
- The carrier will feature prominently in the Indonesian National Armed Forces anniversary celebrations on October 5, marking the first time the nation has operated an aircraft carrier.
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(Hanoi=Yonhap News) Correspondent Park Jin-hyung = Indonesia has acquired an aircraft carrier for the first time after receiving a decommissioned light aircraft carrier from Italy.
Indonesia has its first aircraft carrier – a warship disembarked by the Italians. Does the acquisition have consequences for the balance of power in Southeast Asia?
Il Tempo
Jakarta, 18 Sep. (askanews) -The arrival in port in Jakarta of the former Italian carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi; the former ship of the Italian Navy will be used by Indonesia that is trying to modernize its military resources. The ship has docked after being sailed from Italy via Colombo, Sri Lanka, and having crossed the Strait of Malacca. It will be renamed "KRI Sriwijaya" next week and will focus on non-military operations, including relief in c…
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