(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Indonesia has taken a decisive step toward transforming its naval posture after the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) approved financing for the acquisition of the retired Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi and a new fleet of transport and utility helicopters through foreign loans.

On 19 September 2025, Bappenas formally endorsed the multi-billion-dollar scheme, a landmark decision that will potentially elevate the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) into the exclusive ranks of aircraft carrier-operating nations.

Documents obtained by Janes from sources close to the matter confirm that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated 29 August, issued by Minister of National Development Planning Rachmat Pambudy to Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

The annex attached to the correspondence authorised a maximum loan ceiling of USD450 million (RM2.15 billion) to finance the acquisition of Giuseppe Garibaldi, including the specialised equipment, infrastructure, and upgrades necessary to render the vessel operational under Indonesian service.

According to the same document, the financing may be sourced from foreign export credit agencies, bilateral lending partners, or private financial institutions, offering Jakarta flexible mechanisms to secure international funding for this historic naval expansion.

Beyond the carrier, Bappenas also approved a broader aviation package involving the acquisition of new helicopters, authorising USD250 million (RM1.19 billion) for transport variants and USD300 million (RM1.43 billion) for utility helicopters—funds that could provide TNI AL with rotary-wing capabilities optimised for both carrier operations and joint-service deployment.

All three programmes—the aircraft carrier, transport helicopters, and utility helicopters—have now been elevated to Indonesia’s priority list of projects eligible for foreign financing, underlining the strategic importance Jakarta places on enhancing its maritime aviation footprint.

Although the annex did not explicitly detail operational concepts, analysts widely assess that the newly acquired helicopters will be embarked on the ex-Italian carrier, should its transfer proceed, transforming Garibaldi into a functional aviation hub capable of supporting a spectrum of missions from anti-submarine warfare to humanitarian operations.

This approval underscores a pivotal acceleration in Jakarta’s military modernisation agenda, signalling its determination to expand power projection capabilities across the Indo-Pacific and reinforce its role as Southeast Asia’s leading maritime nation.

Earlier this month, Indonesia formally acknowledged that negotiations were underway with Rome over the acquisition of Giuseppe Garibaldi, a revelation that has already sent ripples through regional naval planning circles.

The confirmation by Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali during the commissioning of KRI Brawijaya-320 at Tanjung Priok is Jakarta’s clearest indication yet that it intends to break new ground in regional naval aviation.

“The matter of the aircraft carrier can be further clarified with the Italians, but we are seeking to acquire the Garibaldi, which previously served with the Italian Navy, and we hope this will reinforce our fleet,” Admiral Ali declared.

For TNI AL, this would mark the first-ever operation of a fixed-wing capable carrier, a leap that would reposition Indonesia from a primarily green-water defensive force into a blue-water navy with sustained air and sea power projection capabilities across the Indo-Pacific.

Admiral Ali has suggested the vessel will initially support “Operations Other Than War” (OMSP), including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and maritime patrols, while pointedly leaving open the option of combat operations should circumstances require.

This statement reflects an evolving doctrinal shift for TNI AL, historically oriented around frigates, corvettes, and amphibious assault platforms rather than capital ships designed for sustained aviation operations at sea.

READ: Jakarta Considers Transforming Italy’s Retired Aircraft Carrier into UAV-Helo Flagship ??

Giuseppe Garibaldi: Compact, Versatile, and Combat-Proven

Launched in 1985, the 14,100-tonne full-load displacement Giuseppe Garibaldi was Italy’s first through-deck aircraft carrier, pioneering a new era for the Marina Militare by being specifically configured to operate AV-8B Harrier II vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) jets alongside a wide array of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and utility helicopters.

The ship measures 180.2 metres in length, has a beam of 33.4 metres, and a draught of 6.7 metres, dimensions that enabled her to balance compactness with operational flexibility in littoral and blue-water operations alike.

Propulsion is delivered by four General Electric/Fiat LM2500 gas turbines producing a combined 81,000 shaft horsepower, driving two shafts and enabling the carrier to achieve top speeds of 30 knots (56 km/h) and an operational range exceeding 7,000 nautical miles at 20 knots, granting the vessel both high sprint capability and endurance for extended deployments.

The ship’s flight deck, spanning 174 metres, incorporates a 6.5-degree ski-jump ramp, specifically optimised for Harrier jump-jet operations, while its hangar deck provides space for up to 16 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, though the usual operational complement has ranged between 12–14 AV-8Bs and six to eight ASW helicopters.

Defensive systems originally included two eight-cell Albatros launchers for Aspide surface-to-air missiles, two OTO Melara 76mm dual-purpose guns, and three DARDO twin 40mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS), ensuring layered air defence and point-defence coverage against missile threats—systems Indonesia could retain, modernise, or replace with locally integrated weapons.

Electronics fit includes a Selex RAN-40L long-range air-surveillance radar, a SPS-52C three-dimensional radar, and a comprehensive suite of electronic support measures (ESM) and combat management systems, features that gave Garibaldi a powerful command-and-control capability within NATO task forces.

Throughout her operational career, Garibaldi established an impressive combat pedigree, supporting NATO air operations during the Kosovo campaign in 1999, serving as a strike and helicopter platform in Afghanistan post-2001, and acting as a maritime control hub during the 2011 Libyan intervention, validating her design philosophy as a compact yet potent force multiplier.

For Indonesia, acquiring Garibaldi offers a rare opportunity to obtain a combat-tested aviation platform at a fraction of the cost of developing an indigenous carrier programme, granting Jakarta an accelerated pathway to carrier aviation without the prohibitive overheads associated with supercarrier construction and sustainment.

While smaller than China’s Type 003 Fujian-class carriers or the U.S. Nimitz-class supercarriers, Garibaldi was engineered for high sortie generation rates relative to its tonnage, making it an ideal choice for archipelagic navies like TNI AL that prioritise efficiency, mobility, and credible air-sea integration over sheer size.

The carrier’s versatility—hosting ASW helicopters, amphibious assault support, humanitarian aid modules, and even V/STOL jets—aligns directly with Indonesia’s requirements as a disaster-prone archipelago vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions while also needing deterrence against piracy and incursions by foreign maritime forces.

Moreover, Garibaldi’s long-standing role as a command-and-control flagship within NATO gives Indonesia a platform with inherent interoperability potential, an attribute Jakarta could leverage in ASEAN maritime cooperation frameworks or UN-led peace support missions.

From a strategic perspective, the ship would provide TNI AL with a training and doctrinal development hub for carrier aviation, deck crew operations, and joint air-sea integration, acting as a vital stepping stone for Indonesia’s long-term ambition to develop either an indigenous carrier or participate in future joint carrier programmes with partners such as South Korea, Japan, or Türkiye.

Strategic Implications for Southeast Asia

Indonesia’s pursuit of carrier capability comes amid intensifying great-power rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, with China rapidly expanding its carrier fleet—Liaoning, Shandong, and the new-generation Fujian—as part of its drive for blue-water dominance.

Though the Garibaldi is dwarfed in scale and sophistication by China’s carriers, its acquisition by Indonesia would carry symbolic and operational weight, marking Jakarta’s determination to transition from a reactive coastal defence posture to one where it can actively shape regional security dynamics.

Geopolitically, Indonesia controls three of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints—the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits—through which flows one-third of global trade and the bulk of East Asia’s energy imports.

A carrier-capable TNI AL would be uniquely positioned to exert influence over these corridors, granting Jakarta a powerful tool for both deterrence and diplomatic leverage.

The vessel could also elevate Indonesia’s role in regional humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, providing a mobile aviation hub in response to tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, thereby reinforcing its image as ASEAN’s de facto maritime first responder.

At the same time, Garibaldi could serve as a counterweight to non-traditional threats such as illegal fishing fleets, piracy, and the grey-zone tactics employed by foreign maritime militias and coast guards in disputed waters.

For Washington, Indonesia’s acquisition would represent a new partner capacity in “collective maritime security” initiatives, though Jakarta’s policy of non-alignment would ensure that the carrier enhances autonomy rather than binding Indonesia to U.S.-led alliances.

For Beijing, however, Jakarta’s carrier ambition will likely be interpreted as an assertion of maritime independence at a time when China seeks to consolidate dominance in the South China Sea and expand its naval presence into the Indian Ocean.

In this sense, Indonesia’s move is less about the platform’s raw capabilities and more about the signal it sends—that Jakarta is ready to redefine its naval identity and assert itself as a balancing power in Southeast Asia’s turbulent maritime order.

Ultimately, the Giuseppe Garibaldi represents not merely a ship, but a catalyst for Indonesia’s emergence as a decisive actor in shaping the future security architecture of the Indo-Pacific. — DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA