Giuseppe Garibaldi Aircraft Carrier Can Accommodate Up To Six Helicopters
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian Ministry of Defence has revealed that the Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier can accommodate up to six helicopters simultaneously.
Therefore, the Head of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Defence, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, stated that the Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier is planned to support Non-War Military Operations (OMSP), especially in disaster relief.
“Because it has a helideck, it can accommodate up to six helicopters, even more, on its deck,” he said in Menteng, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (25/2/2026).
This facility is considered to accelerate the distribution of logistics and the mobilization of personnel during disasters without having to go back and forth to distant bases or airfields.
Rico added that the presence of the aircraft carrier also allows smaller ships in the vicinity to refuel and distribute logistical aid more effectively and efficiently.
“That is for the future. There is no intention from our nation, Indonesia, to have an aircraft carrier like this with an aggressive nature, there is none. So there is no invasive nature,” he said.
Previously, the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (KSAL), Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali, said that Indonesia’s first aircraft carrier, made in Italy, the Giuseppe Garibaldi, is targeted to arrive in Indonesia before the Armed Forces Day on 5th October 2026.
“For the Garibaldi, it is still in progress. Hopefully, it can arrive in Indonesia before Armed Forces Day,” said Ali in Jakarta, broadcast by ANTARA, Thursday (12/2/2026).
He explained that the Ministry of Defence is still in negotiations with the Italian shipyard, Fincantieri, which produces this aircraft carrier.
This negotiation process also involves the Italian Navy, which previously used the ship.
The Head of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Defence, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, said that the Giuseppe Garibaldi is a grant or free aircraft carrier from the Italian Government.
However, Rico added that budget allocation is still needed for the retrofitting process.
Rico explained that the adjustments will be made after the grant administration is completed according to the provisions.
The adjustments include the ship’s systems, safety standards, and the operational needs of the Indonesian Navy.
For your information, this aircraft carrier is similar to two new KRI (warships) belonging to the Indonesian Navy, namely KRI Brawijaya 320 and KRI Prabu Siliwangi 321, which are both made by the Italian company Fincantieri.
This aircraft carrier, which is 180.2 meters long, is equipped with a super-powered engine that can move the ship at a speed of 30 knots or 56 kilometers per hour.
This aircraft carrier is also equipped with several radar jammers and weapons such as an octuple Mk.29 launcher for Sea Sparrow / Selenia Aspide anti-aircraft missiles, Oto Melara Kembar 40L70 DARDO, a triple 324 mm torpedo tube, and Otomat Mk 2 SSM.
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