Indonesia Approves Purchase of Italian Aircraft Carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi

Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning has approved the acquisition of the former Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Zona Militar reported on this.

Under the agreement, the government has authorized external loans of up to $450 million through export credit agencies, bilateral lenders, or private institutions to cover the cost of the vessel itself and the necessary equipment for its operation.

The aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, built by Fincantieri and commissioned in 1985, measures 180.2 meters in length and has a displacement of 14,150 tons.

The ship is capable of reaching speeds of up to 30 knots and has a sailing range of up to 7,000 nautical miles. It served in the Italian Navy for nearly 40 years, undertaking a variety of missions, including humanitarian operations and support for international missions.

Indonesia views Giuseppe Garibaldi as a key asset for strengthening its naval power and ensuring operational autonomy in the region.

After modernization, the aircraft carrier could become a platform for launching unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), significantly expanding the Indonesian Navy’s capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance, and humanitarian aid.

It is worth recalling that during the Indo Defence Expo & Forum exhibition in June 2025 in Jakarta, Fincantieri presented a concept for modernizing an aircraft carrier for Indonesia’s needs.

In particular, the conversion of Giuseppe Garibaldi into a platform for UAVs, specifically Turkish Bayraktar TB3s, was discussed. The representatives of the local company Republikorp also demonstrated a sample of an aircraft carrier with two islands and UAV models on deck.

Militarnyi previously reported that Indonesia had purchased two MPCS/PPA multi-purpose combat ships, which had been built for the Italian Navy by Fincantieri.

On January 30th, 2025, the ships, formerly named Marcantonio Colonna and Ruggiero di Lauria, were renamed KRI Brawijaya (320) and KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321).

Built at the Fincantieri Riva Trigoso-Muggiano shipyard, the ships will be the largest surface combat units in the Indonesian Navy.

Originally built as the fifth and sixth ships of the MPCS/PPA class, they were sold to Indonesia for approximately €1.18 billion.