Defence Minister Announces Garibaldi Aircraft Carrier Will Arrive in Indonesia This Year

Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has announced that the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi will arrive in Indonesia in 2026.

“God willing, the Garibaldi will come to Indonesia in 2026,” said Sjafrie after receiving Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Defence Ministry office in Jakarta on Thursday (12 March).

He stated that the aircraft carrier will subsequently be refurbished by the domestic industry. Sjafrie noted that the ship will also be renamed.

“But we will refurbish it because we have the industry—PT PAL is capable of refurbishing it. So we will refurbish the Garibaldi here in Indonesia. So it will no longer be called Garibaldi afterwards,” he said.

He did not disclose the budget allocated by Indonesia for refurbishing the vessel. However, Sjafrie assured that the allocated budget would be efficient.

“I am not entirely clear about the budget. But I have decided, so if you ask whether it is efficient and effective, I am ready,” he said.

Indonesia will acquire the Giuseppe Garibaldi through a donation scheme from the Italian government. Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, the Information Officer of the Defence Ministry Secretariat, previously explained that the process is still ongoing within the administrative corridor and the mechanism of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Italy.

“The information we can confirm is that the ship is part of a donation scheme from the Italian government,” said Rico when contacted on Friday (13 February).

Meanwhile, he stated that Indonesia is preparing budgetary support for retrofit and technical adjustment requirements to align with Indonesian Navy operational needs.