Indonesia Commissions Its First Aircraft Carrier for Disaster Relief
A significant chapter in Indonesian naval history opened this week when a former Italian warship sailed into Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, completing a journey from Italy via Colombo and the Straits of Melaka. The vessel, once known as the Giuseppe Garibaldi, will be formally renamed KRI Sriwijaya and inducted into the Indonesian Navy, marking the country's first aircraft carrier acquisition.
From the Mediterranean to the Java Sea
The Giuseppe Garibaldi was commissioned into the Italian Navy in 1985, making it 41 years old at the time of its arrival. Despite its age, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Muhammad Ali stated that the vessel remains in good condition and is expected to serve the Indonesian Navy for another 15 to 20 years.
At 180 metres in length, the carrier can accommodate up to 18 helicopters and house as many as 830 personnel, according to navy spokesman Tunggul.
A Warship Repurposed for Humanitarian Work
What makes this acquisition particularly notable is its stated primary purpose. Rather than frontline combat deployment, Indonesian naval leadership has positioned KRI Sriwijaya as a disaster relief platform. Muhammad Ali pointed directly to Indonesia's geography and vulnerability: the archipelago faces frequent natural disasters across remote and hard-to-reach islands, and a vessel capable of deploying multiple helicopters simultaneously could dramatically accelerate logistics delivery to affected communities.
"There are many disasters in this country," Ali said. "So we really need a vessel or platform that could carry many helicopters, because the helicopters can drop logistics quickly to remote areas."
The renaming ceremony is scheduled for the following week after the ship's arrival.
Part of a Broader Military Modernisation Drive
The carrier's arrival fits into a wider pattern of defence investment under President Prabowo Subianto, a former general who was elected in 2024. Indonesia signed an USD 8.1 billion agreement in 2022 to purchase 42 French-made Rafale fighter jets, with six delivered by May. India confirmed it will supply Indonesia with long-range missiles following a July visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jakarta. The United States elevated its relationship with Indonesia to a "Major Defence Cooperation Partnership" in April, and a security treaty with Australia signed in February is paving the way for joint training facilities.
The KRI Sriwijaya acquisition reflects both the ambition and the practical constraints of that modernisation: a second-hand vessel from a NATO ally, repositioned for the kind of humanitarian operations that matter most to an archipelago nation of more than 17,000 islands.
Why It Matters for Hosts
For independent accommodation operators and tour guides in Jakarta, particularly those near the waterfront or catering to maritime-history enthusiasts, the KRI Sriwijaya represents a potential draw. Naval heritage tourism is an underserved niche in Indonesia. If the vessel eventually opens for public visits or becomes part of a commemorative event, operators in the Tanjung Priok and North Jakarta area could benefit from positioning their properties and itineraries around the story of Indonesia's first aircraft carrier. Monitoring announcements from the Indonesian Navy about public access or ceremonial events would be a practical first step.
Details about the vessel's arrival and renaming were first reported by The Star.
First reported by thestar.com.my.