Indonesia is weighing the acquisition of Italy’s decommissioned aircraft carrier as part of Jakarta’s push toward a blue-water navy.
Newsweek contacted the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and the Italian Embassy for comment via email.
Why It Matters
While Indonesia boasts Southeast Asia’s largest navy by hull count, it operates only a handful of true combat ships—mostly small coastal attack craft and a shrinking fleet of aging submarines. Officials are working to transition the navy from a green-water force focused on coastal defense to one capable of projecting power farther afield.
What To Know
Talk of Indonesia acquiring an aircraft carrier surfaced in February, when Navy Chief Admiral Muhammad Ali floated the idea publicly.
Ali reignited the discussion on Monday at a ceremony in Jakarta that marked the handover of a new frigate. He confirmed speculation that Indonesia had its sights on Italy’s retired flagship, a light carrier decommissioned in October 2024 after almost four decades in service.
“We are in the process of acquiring an aircraft carrier that was once commissioned by the Italian Navy, namely Giuseppe Garibaldi, in a bid to strengthen our defense posture,” he told reporters, per the Indonesian news outlet Antara.
Ali said the ship, if acquired, would be used mainly for “non-war military operations,” though combat deployment would remain an option.
At 591 feet, the Garibaldi is about half the length of a U.S. Nimitz-class carrier and displaces only one-tenth as much. Still, it would be one of the largest surface combatants in Southeast Asia—and only the region’s second aircraft carrier, after Thailand’s HTMS Chakri Naruebet.
Monday’s ceremony marked the arrival of the first of two Italy-built offshore patrol ships. At 469 feet, it’s Indonesia’s largest warship to date.
The prospective carrier would join a growing, eclectic fleet of foreign-sourced vessels acquired or ordered by Jakarta—including French-built submarines, Dutch missile corvettes, and British and Italian frigates.
Opponents have criticized this patchwork composition as a “logistical nightmare” and an inefficient use of the navy’s limited operating budget.
What People Are Saying
Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore, told Newsweek that the push for a carrier was “more for national prestige, seen in the same manner as how [Indonesian President] Prabowo tried to push for a greater international stature for himself.”
He added: “If they want a multi-role ship to do MOOTW [military operations other than war], for example, they could just get more landing platform docks—cheaper to operate and maintain in relatively bigger numbers than a single carrier.”
Bryce Barros, a security analyst and an associate fellow at the think tank GLOBSEC, told Newsweek: “While the transfer of the Garibaldi may be symbolic, it nevertheless signals Europe’s intention to support Indonesia, a key player in the region, as it seeks to bolster its interests amid Great Power Competition.
“It’ll also make it easier to Indonesians and neighboring countries to engage with European colleagues as the European Carrier Group Interoperability Initiative between Italy, France, and the U.K. ramps up.”
What Happens Next
Italy’s government has not publicly commented on the potential sale. However, Jakarta is already in discussions with shipbuilder Fincantieri, which constructed the Garibaldi, according to defense intelligence website Janes, citing sources close to the talks.
The deal may also include up to 30 AV-8B Harrier II jets—U.S.-built vertical takeoff and landing fighters. The Garibaldi is capable of operating up to 16 aircraft, and during its service in the NATO member’s navy, it was outfitted with Harriers and a mix of naval helicopters.
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