On 20 July, the Indonesian Ministry of Defence revealed more details on the planned transfer of the former Italian Navy aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi during a meeting with Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
According to the ministry, the ship is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on 20 September and will be based in Ratai Bay in Lampung, the southernmost province of Sumatra Island, which faces the Sunda Strait. The 20 September target aligns with previous reports that the Indonesian government wants the carrier to arrive before 5 October, presumably so it can take part in the country’s Armed Forces Day celebrations.
To accommodate the ship, work has begun to upgrade the existing naval base and supporting facilities in the bay, with the ministry saying the progress has reached 76% completion, at least for the berthing area.
So far, neither the ministry nor the navy has publicly explained the reasons for selecting Lampung as the Garibaldi’s homeport.
The ministry said Indonesia chose the Garibaldi because acquiring a used carrier would cost less and take less time than buying a new one. It also argued that the transfer would strengthen bilateral ties between Indonesia and Italy.
According to the ministry, it will cost €54 million to bring the carrier to Indonesia. Meanwhile, one parliament member, Tubagus Hasanuddin, said the refurbishment cost could range from Rp7.2 trillion to Rp16.8 trillion, or €350 million to €818 million, depending on the modernization specifications Indonesia chooses.
All political parties in the commission agreed to the plan. Nevertheless, some of them raised concerns about sufficient funding, operational costs, doctrine adjustments, and the technological benefits that Indonesian defence companies can get from the carrier’s refurbishment and future operation.
