Facts About Aircraft Carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On its 81st anniversary on October 5th, the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) will receive additional military equipment, the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi. The ship was manufactured on February 20, 1978, at the Italian shipyard Fincantieri.

"After being officially accepted and operational, the ship is planned to function as a headquarters ship for operations," said Ministry of Defense spokesperson Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait to Tempo on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

So, how did Indonesia acquire this Italian aircraft carrier?

Grant Received, But Still Budgeting for Maintenance

The acquisition of the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi from Italy to Indonesia was carried out through a grant through a government-to-government mechanism between Jakarta and Rome. Although a grant, the government still allocates a budget for maintenance and capability enhancements.

The budget required for maintenance and modernization, including the installation of combat systems, for this 43-year-old ship to meet the operational needs of the Indonesian Navy is estimated at Rp7.2 trillion.

Long Eyed by Prabowo Subianto

The desire to acquire the Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier has been evident since Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto served as Minister of Defense from 2019 to 2024.

At that time, Prabowo visited Italy to discuss the modernization of Indonesia's defense equipment in late 2022. This agenda continued when the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, General Muhammad Ali, personally inspected the aircraft carrier.

Will Involve the National Defense Industry

Brigadier General Rico Sirait stated that the Ministry of Defense will involve national companies and shipyards in the retrofit and modernization of the Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier.

"As part of strengthening the capacity of the national defense industry," Rico told Tempo on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

However, he did not provide details regarding the names of the Indonesian companies or shipyards that will be involved in the retrofit and modernization of the 180.2-meter-long ship.

Rico explained that the company or shipyard that will be entrusted with the work will be determined through a selection process. "In accordance with the applicable procurement mechanisms," he said.

Opening the opportunity to involve other parties or countries

Although the ship's retrofit and modernization process is being carried out in Indonesia, Rico stated that there is still an opportunity to involve other parties or countries in the process.

He explained that the involvement of other countries or parties could be done if there is a specific ship's equipment or components that are not available in Indonesia.

"Technical support from the original manufacturer is possible if necessary," Rico said.

Specifications

The aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi displaces 13,850 tons and can reach a speed of 30 knots. This former Italian Navy ship first entered service on June 4, 1983.

Measuring 180.2 meters in length and producing 60,400 watts of power, the ship has hull number 551 and has logged a distance of 7,000 nautical miles.

Dani Aswara contributed to the writing of this article.

Read: Indonesia to Involve Local Firms in Giuseppe Garibaldi Carrier Retrofit

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