KRI Gajah Mada to arrive in Indonesia mid-September
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali has announced that the aircraft carrier KRI Gajah Mada is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia in mid-September 2026.
Ali requested prayers from the Indonesian public for the safe passage of the Indonesian Navy warship, which departed Italy for Indonesia on Monday evening at 10 p.m. local time.
“We ask for your prayers. Tonight, at around 10 p.m., KRI Gajah Mada will leave Italy for Indonesia,” Ali said during a visit to the Majapahit Palace in Jakarta on Monday.
He explained that Indonesia’s first aircraft carrier is still named ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi and continues to fly the Italian flag.
Upon arrival in Indonesia, the vessel—acquired through an intergovernmental grant scheme—will change its flag and name to KRI Gajah Mada.
“Its name is still ITS Garibaldi, still flying the Italian flag. But once it arrives in Indonesia, it will change to the Red and White flag and become KRI Gajah Mada. We ask for your prayers for a safe and successful journey,” the Navy chief said.
According to Ali, KRI Gajah Mada will travel for more than 20 days, passing through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea under escort by Italian warships.
“Because it will pass through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, it will also be escorted by Italian frigates. Hopefully, by 15 or 20 September, it will have arrived in Indonesia,” he said.
“On the 25th, there could be a commissioning ceremony or change of flag to the Indonesian flag and the renaming from Garibaldi to KRI Gajah Mada. The plan is for the President to officiate, to be present on board the aircraft carrier Gajah Mada,” he added.
Ali noted that the aircraft carrier, once named KRI Gajah Mada, will carry an extraordinary spirit of uniting the archipelago.
The carrier will be equipped not only with Navy helicopters but also with Air Force and Army helicopters that can operate from the vessel.
The Indonesian Navy will also train its pilots to land helicopters or fighter aircraft on the carrier.
“That is our spirit of unity and safeguarding national integrity, because the President has stressed that the TNI plays a crucial role in maintaining the unity and integrity of the Republic of Indonesia,” Admiral Ali said.