Indonesia’s First Aircraft Carrier KRI Sriwijaya, Ex-Italian Garibaldi, Reaches Home Waters

The former Italian Navy aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi entered Indonesian waters on September 17, 2026, as part of its transfer to Indonesia, and shortly afterward docked at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta. Renamed KRI Sriwijaya, the ship becomes the Indonesian Navy’s first aircraft carrier.

At a Glance

• The 41-year-old Giuseppe Garibaldi (C-551) departed Italy on August 24, 2026, transiting the Suez Canal and calling at Safaga, Egypt, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, before reaching Indonesia via the Malacca Strait.
• The ship was initially expected to be renamed KRI Gadjah Mada, but the Indonesian Navy later changed the name to KRI Sriwijaya.
• Upon entering Indonesian waters, the vessel was welcomed and escorted by the Indonesian Navy’s Italian-designed PPA patrol vessels KRI Brawijaya (320) and KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321).
• During the transit, the ship was commanded by Italian Captain Marco Guerriero, with a mixed Italian-Indonesian crew.
• The Indonesian Navy stated the carrier will primarily support Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW), particularly humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR).
• The acquisition makes Indonesia the first Southeast Asian country to operate an aircraft carrier.

Background

Giuseppe Garibaldi entered Italian Navy service in 1985 as a light aircraft carrier with a full-load displacement of roughly 14,000 tons, operating AV-8B Harrier II vertical-takeoff jets and various helicopters throughout its career. The ship was progressively retired as Italy’s newer, larger carriers Cavour and Trieste entered service, paving the way for its transfer to Indonesia. Indonesia’s acquisition is viewed as one of the most concrete steps yet in the country’s push to build a “blue-water” naval operating capacity. The renaming from “Gadjah Mada” to “Sriwijaya” — a reference to the historic Srivijaya maritime empire — reflects Indonesia’s intent to emphasize its maritime-power identity. Some defense outlets have described the ship as “Southeast Asia’s first drone carrier,” anticipating future integration with unmanned aerial systems, though no concrete delivery timeline for such a capability has been made public.

Regional Impact

Indonesia’s acquisition of Giuseppe Garibaldi previously progressed alongside a new phase of defense-industrial cooperation with Turkey, as this outlet has reported before; the two countries maintain a substantial supply relationship spanning FNSS’s KAPLAN MT (Harimau) medium tank to various ASELSAN systems. Indonesia’s pivot toward blue-water naval ambitions could generate new procurement needs in radar, command-and-control, and weapons systems to support such a platform — potentially translating into further cooperation opportunities for Turkish defense firms down the line. Indonesia’s expanding naval ambitions also align with the current momentum of Turkish ship and systems exports across Southeast Asia.

FAQ

When will KRI Sriwijaya formally enter service?
Although the ship has reached Indonesian waters, formal entry into Indonesian Navy service requires a transfer ceremony, local crew training, and potentially further modernization work; an exact in-service date has not yet been announced.

What aircraft can the ship operate?
In Italian Navy service, the ship operated AV-8B Harrier II vertical-takeoff jets and various helicopters; in Indonesian service it is expected to focus primarily on helicopter operations.

How does Indonesia plan to use the ship?
The Indonesian Navy has stated the vessel’s priority mission will be non-war operations, particularly humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Sources

• Naval News, “Indonesia’s First Aircraft Carrier: Former Italian Ship ‘Garibaldi’ Reaches Domestic Waters”
• ANTARA News, “Aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi enters Indonesian waters”
• Al Jazeera, “Indonesia acquires first aircraft carrier amid military upgrade”