【Indonesia is expected to receive the former Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi" before October this year】

CNN Indonesia reported on February 13, 2026: Admiral Muhammad Ali, Chief of the Indonesian Navy, stated that the former Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi" is expected to arrive in Indonesia before October 5, 2026. He confirmed that negotiations are ongoing with Fincantieri and the Italian Navy, but did not disclose the final contract or price. An Indonesian Ministry of Defense official hinted that the transfer might be in the form of aid grants, depending on the terms and financing arrangements.

Admiral Ali confirmed that discussions regarding the former Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi" (C 551) continue between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, the original builder Fincantieri, and the former operator, the Italian Navy. He did not confirm the signing of the final contract or reveal the purchase price or payment structure, but Lieutenant Colonel Rico Ricardo Silete, head of public relations at the Ministry of Defense Secretariat, suggested that the carrier may be built as a grant from the Italian government.

The effort to acquire the "Garibaldi" is related to Indonesia's "Minimum Essential Force" modernization plan and broader expansion of maritime capabilities. In late August 2025, the Indonesian government approved a foreign loan limit of up to $450 million for the procurement of Indonesia's first aircraft carrier and related equipment; it also approved up to $250 million for the procurement of transport helicopters, and up to $300 million for the procurement of general-purpose helicopters planned to operate on the "Garibaldi".

——Background Information on the "Giuseppe Garibaldi" (C 551)

The "Giuseppe Garibaldi" (C 551) was laid down on March 26, 1981, launched on June 11, 1983, and commissioned into the Italian Navy on September 30, 1985. It was built by Fincantieri in Monfalcone and was the first ship in Italy with a full-length flight deck. The ship was officially classified as an "aircraft cruiser," as national legislation at the time restricted the development of fixed-wing naval aviation. Legislative reforms in 1989 allowed the deployment of AV-8B Harrier II short takeoff/vertical landing aircraft. The 2003 modernization removed the "Otomat" Mk 2 anti-ship missile launchers to expand the flight deck and improve communication systems. A further major overhaul in 2013 upgraded propulsion components, flight support systems, and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems. The ship was placed into reserve on October 1, 2024, after the commissioning of the amphibious assault ship "Trieste."

In its post-2003 configuration, the carrier has a standard displacement of 10,100 tons, a full load displacement of 14,150 tons, a length of 180.2 meters, a width of 33.4 meters, and a draft of 8.2 meters. The propulsion system consists of four General Electric and Avio LM2500 gas turbines, delivering 60,400 kW (81,000 horsepower), driving twin shafts with a speed of over 30 knots (approximately 56 km/h according to Indonesian sources). The range is 7,000 nautical miles at 20 knots. The crew consists of 830 people, including 550 crew members, up to 180 aviation personnel, and up to 100 command personnel. The flight deck is 174 meters long and about 30 meters wide, featuring a 4-degree ski-jump ramp. The ship can carry up to 18 aircraft, typically configured with 12 in the hangar and 6 on the deck, depending on mission requirements.

The defense and sensor systems include two Mk.29 eight-cell launchers (for "Sea Sparrow" or "Aspide" surface-to-air missiles) and three Oto Melara dual 40L70 "Dardo" close-in weapon systems. Anti-submarine capabilities include two triple 324mm torpedo tubes. Sensor equipment includes the "Selex" MM/SPS-768 long-range air search radar, AN/SPS-52C early warning radar, SPS-702 CORA surface search radar, navigation radar, fire control radar, and electronic warfare systems (including SLQ-732 jammers and decoy launchers). The "Otomat" Mk 2 anti-ship missile originally installed at the stern was removed in 2003 to prioritize aviation operations. Historically, the ship's air wing included AV-8B Harrier II aircraft and SH-3D or AW101 helicopters for anti-submarine warfare, airborne early warning, transport, and strike missions.

The ship participated in operational deployments, including NATO's "Allied Force" operation in 1999, during which AV-8B aircraft carried out 30 sorties, accumulating 63 hours of flight time. In 2001, the ship deployed to the Indian Ocean for Operation Enduring Freedom, with its AV-8B squadron conducting 288 missions, accumulating 860 hours of flight time. During the 2011 "Operation Unified Protector" in Libya, eight Italian Navy AV-8B aircraft launched from the ship accumulated 1,221 hours of flight time, dropping 160 guided bombs. The ship also participated in the Mediterranean "Operation Sophia" and contributed to maritime security and search and rescue operations.

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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857104347579801/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.