Where Will Indonesia Homeport Its First Aircraft Carrier from Italy? - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi will be stationed at a new naval base in Teluk Ratai, Pesawaran Regency, Lampung Province. Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Muhammad Ali stated that the Navy is concurrently preparing the facility to berth the vessel donated by the Italian government.
According to him, the water depth in Lampung ideally accommodates the warship's operational specifications. "The Garibaldi has a draft of around 8.5 meters, so the water depth is sufficient," Ali said in a statement quoted on Sunday, September 20, 2026.
Ali added that Lampung's navigational routes are favorable and sheltered, providing a safe harbor for the Garibaldi. Later, the Italian-built carrier will initially be assigned to the Auxiliary Vessel Unit.
"We are still considering whether to establish a new unit within the Marine Corps Fleet Force or under the Naval Fleet Command," Ali said.
The Giuseppe Garibaldi arrived in Indonesia on Friday, September 18, 2026. It docked at Pier 107 of Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta. Ali explained that the vessel currently remains under the ownership of the Italian Navy. "It is scheduled to be handed over and officially join the Indonesian Navy fleet as a Ship of the Republic of Indonesia on September 24," he said.
During the handover ceremony, the Indonesian Navy also plans to conduct a reflagging ceremony to switch the flag from Italy to Indonesia. Ali revealed that Indonesia's first aircraft carrier will be named KRI Sriwijaya. He noted that the vessel will primarily focus on non-combat operations, including supporting response efforts during forest and land fires.
He stressed that Indonesia's frequent natural disasters were a primary factor in deploying the carrier for non-military operations. "We really need a ship or a platform capable of carrying many helicopters," he said.
Ali noted that the 180.2-meter-long and 33.4-meter-wide Garibaldi can accommodate at least 14 helicopters. With these specifications, he stated that disaster relief logistics for forest fires can be deployed to remote areas more rapidly.
Nevertheless, Ali did not rule out the possibility of deploying the aircraft carrier for combat missions. However, he maintained that escorting an operational aircraft carrier does not necessarily require a destroyer.
"A frigate can also provide escort capabilities as long as it is equipped with anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and electronic warfare systems," he said.
Read: How Much Will the Garibaldi Retrofit Cost?
