Italy’s former aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi could join Indonesian Navy by October 2026.

Indonesia’s Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Muhammad Ali, said the former Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi is expected to reach Indonesia before October 5, 2026.

As reported by CNN Indonesia on February 13, 2026, Indonesia’s Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Muhammad Ali, said the former Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi is expected to reach Indonesia before October 5, 2026. He confirmed negotiations are ongoing with Fincantieri and the Italian Navy, while no final contract or price has been disclosed. Indonesian defense officials indicated the transfer could be structured as a grant, pending agreement on terms and financing.
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The Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551) was laid down on March 26, 1981, launched on June 11, 1983, and commissioned into the Italian Navy on September 30, 1985. (Picture source: Italian Navy)

The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated that the former Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551) is expected to arrive in Indonesia before October 5, 2026, which marks the 81st anniversary of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. He confirmed that negotiations remain ongoing between Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence, Fincantieri as the original builder, and the Italian Navy as the former operator. He did not confirm the signing of a final contract and did not disclose the acquisition price or the structure of payment, but the Head of the Public Relations of the Ministry of Defense Secretariat, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, hinted that the aircraft carrier could be structured as a grant from the Italian government.

The Garibaldi acquisition effort is tied to Indonesia’s Minimum Essential Force modernization program and broader maritime capability expansion. In late August 2025, the Indonesian government approved foreign loan ceilings of up to $450 million for the acquisition of the first aircraft carrier to be owned by Indonesia and associated equipment, alongside up to $250 million for transport helicopters and up to $300 million for utility helicopters intended to operate from the Garibaldi carrier. The financing framework allows borrowing from export credit agencies, bilateral creditors, or private lenders. Discussions in 2025 included adapting the vessel for helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicle operations rather than relying exclusively on fixed-wing jets, as Indonesia has previously signed agreements with Baykar and Republikorp for the local production of 60 navalized TB3 unmanned aerial vehicles and nine Akinci UAVs. The TB3 completed ski-jump takeoff and landing trials aboard the Turkish carrier Anadolu in November 2024, demonstrating compatibility with ski-jump flight decks similar to that of the Garibaldi.

Concept proposals shown in Indonesia during 2025 also depicted a modified Garibaldi configuration featuring two islands and an aviation layout optimized for helicopters and drones. A Fincantieri delegation visited Jakarta in July 2025 with senior representatives, including a former commanding officer and engineering personnel, and outlined four potential areas of refit work without releasing cost or duration figures. A delivery before October 5, 2026, would likely limit the extent of modifications completed in Italy prior to transfer. Indonesian company Republikorp has publicly expressed interest in carrying out modification work domestically if the transfer proceeds. PT PAL has also proposed constructing helicopter carriers or amphibious assault ships in Indonesia in cooperation with foreign partners such as Fincantieri or Hyundai Heavy Industries. Indonesia’s long-term planning includes operating at least four amphibious helicopter carriers as part of its maritime force structure.

The Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551) was laid down on March 26, 1981, launched on June 11, 1983, and commissioned into the Italian Navy on September 30, 1985. It was built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone and was Italy’s first ship with a full-length flight deck. The ship was officially classified as an aircraft-carrying cruiser because national legislation initially restricted fixed-wing naval aviation. A 1989 legislative reform enabled the embarkation of AV-8B Harrier II short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft. The 2003 modernization removed Otomat Mk 2 anti-ship missile launchers to enlarge the flight deck and improve communications. A further overhaul in 2013 upgraded propulsion elements, flight support systems, and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems. The vessel was placed in reserve on October 1, 2024, after the entry into service of the landing helicopter dock Trieste.

In its post-2003 configuration, the carrier has a standard displacement of 10,100 tons and a full-load displacement of 14,150 tons, a length of 180.2 meters, a beam of 33.4 meters, and a draught of 8.2 meters. Propulsion consists of four General Electric and Avio LM2500 gas turbines delivering 60,400 kW or 81,000 horsepower to two shafts, enabling speeds exceeding 30 knots, cited as 56 kilometers per hour in Indonesian statements. Operational range is 7,000 nautical miles at 20 knots. Crew complement reaches 830 personnel, including 550 ship crew, up to 180 aviation personnel, and up to 100 command staff. The flight deck measures 174 meters in length and about 30 meters in width and incorporates a ski-jump ramp of about 4 degrees. Aircraft capacity is up to 18 units, typically arranged as 12 in the hangar and six on deck, depending on mission configuration.

The defensive and sensor systems include two Mk.29 octuple launchers for Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide surface-to-air missiles and three Oto Melara Twin 40L70 DARDO close-in weapon systems. Anti-submarine capability includes two triple 324 mm torpedo tubes. Sensor equipment comprises long-range air search radar Selenia MM/SPS-768, early warning radar AN/SPS-52C, surface search radar SPS-702 CORA, navigation radars, fire control radars, and electronic warfare systems, including SLQ-732 jammers and decoy launchers. The Otomat Mk 2 anti-ship missiles originally installed at the stern were removed in 2003 to prioritize aviation operations. The embarked air group historically included AV-8B Harrier II aircraft and SH-3D or AW101 helicopters for anti-submarine warfare, airborne early warning, transport, and strike missions.

Operational deployments included NATO’s Operation Allied Force in 1999, during which embarked AV-8B aircraft conducted 30 sorties totaling 63 flight hours. In 2001, the ship deployed to the Indian Ocean for Operation Enduring Freedom, where embarked AV-8B units carried out 288 missions totaling 860 flight hours. During Operation Unified Protector in 2011 over Libya, eight Italian Navy AV-8B aircraft flying from the carrier accumulated 1,221 flight hours and released 160 guided bombs. The vessel also served in Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean and contributed to maritime security and search-and-rescue operations. On August 22, 2016, it hosted a trilateral meeting between Italy, France, and Germany near Ventotene. In July 2024, a Ferrari SF90 reached 152 km/h on its flight deck shortly before the ship was placed in reserve. Indonesia’s evaluation of the Garibaldi takes place within a broader defense relationship with Italy that also includes the acquisition of two former Italian Navy PPA ships, renamed KRI Brawijaya 320 and KRI Prabu Siliwangi 321.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.