The Indonesian Ministry of Defense said that the country has begun preparing personnel to operate the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, as transfer negotiations with Italy are still ongoing.
The ship used to be a flagship of the Italian Navy and if handed over, it will become the first aircraft carrier in the history of the Indonesian Navy.
Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait - head of the public relations and defense information department of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense - said that the government and the army (TNI) have selected and trained the future crew.
According to him, the candidates are all experienced naval soldiers, who have undergone training and capacity building programs necessary to be ready to receive and operate ships when assigned.
However, Indonesian authorities did not announce the number of selected sailors or training locations.
Indonesia is expected to receive Giuseppe Garibaldi in the form of aid from the Italian government. However, the Ministry of Defense emphasized that "aid" does not mean no costs incurred. Jakarta has allocated budget to renovate and adjust the ship to meet the combat requirements of the Indonesian Navy.
Expected upgrades include the propulsion system, ship technology and adjustments in accordance with Indonesian naval combat doctrine. The specific budget scale has not been disclosed.
The negotiation process and administrative procedures currently involve the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, Italian officials and Fincantieri shipyard, the initial manufacturer of the ship. Only when these steps are completed will Indonesia fully implement the technical adjustment.
Indonesian Navy Commander - Admiral Muhammad Ali - said that the country aims to receive the ship before the Indonesian Armed Forces founding anniversary on October 5, 2026. According to him, the government is still negotiating with Fincantieri and the Italian Navy on transfer terms.
In terms of technical specifications, the ship is 180.2m long, can reach a maximum speed of 30 knots/hour (about 56 km/h). The design allows the operation of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
The ship is equipped with electronic warfare systems, radar jamming capabilities and many types of defensive weapons such as Mk 29 launchers for Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide air defense missiles, 40L70 Dardo twin guns, 324 mm torpedo tubes and Mk 2 Otomat anti-ship missiles.
Indonesian defense officials said that the ship has many design similarities with two newly commissioned Indonesian Navy warships, KRI Brawijaya 320 and KRI Primeira Siliwangi 321, also built by Fincantieri. This is expected to facilitate maintenance and familiarization with equipment.
If the plan is completed on schedule, Indonesia will become the 5th Asian country to own an aircraft carrier, while significantly expanding its ocean-going naval capabilities in the coming years.
