TSAMTO, July 21. The leadership of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense on July 20, during a meeting with representatives of the country's parliament, revealed some details of the planned transfer of the Giuseppe Garibaldi light aircraft carrier (C551) from the Italian Navy.
The aircraft carrier procurement process is currently under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense, which coordinates its actions with the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri. To accommodate the ship in Indonesia, work has begun on the modernization of the existing naval base and auxiliary facilities. According to the Ministry, 76% of the work has been completed.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the ship is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on September 20, and will be based at a base in Ratai Bay (Lampung Province). These dates coincide with earlier statements that the government is aiming for the aircraft carrier to arrive in the country before October 5, presumably to participate in the celebration of the country's Armed Forces Day.
So far, neither the Ministry of Defense nor the Navy has explained the reasons for choosing Lampung as the home port of Garibaldi.
The ministry said Indonesia chose the Garibaldi aircraft carrier because it would cost less and take less time to purchase an existing aircraft carrier than buying a new one. It is also claimed that the transfer will help strengthen bilateral ties between Indonesia and Italy.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the delivery of the aircraft carrier to Indonesia will cost 54 million euros. Meanwhile, one of the members of parliament, Tubagus Hasanuddin, said that the cost of modernization, depending on the chosen configuration, could range from 7.2 to 16.8 trillion. rupees (from 350 to 818 million euros).
During the meeting, a number of deputies expressed concern about the amount of funding, subsequent operating costs, the need to adjust the doctrine of the Navy and the participation of Indonesian defense companies in the project.
As reported by CAMTO, in February 2025, the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, Admiral Muhammad Ali, announced that the Navy command was assessing the need to purchase an aircraft carrier to expand the capabilities of the fleet.
In February 2026, Admiral Muhammad Ali, without disclosing details, said that the command of the Indonesian Navy expects the arrival of the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi in the country by October 5, to celebrate the 81st anniversary of the formation of the Indonesian Armed Forces. The admiral confirmed the negotiations on the supply of the ship with the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri and the command of the Italian Navy.
In March, the Italian Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense approved the government's proposal to donate the Giuseppe Garibaldi light aircraft carrier (C551) from the Italian Navy to Indonesia.
Admiral Giancinto Ottaviani, National Director of Armaments, said during the preliminary hearing that it costs 5 million euros ($5.8 million) to maintain the ship in reserve. If a decision is made to dispose of it, it will cost 18.7 million euros and will take at least two years. In February 2026, an interdepartmental technical expert commission concluded that the transfer of the ship to an interested party within the framework of international cooperation is the most economically advantageous option.
The Italian parliament finally approved the transfer of the aircraft carrier in April 2026. The ship must be transferred without weapons systems, while maintaining the power plant, safety and survivability systems.
The Italian authorities are striving to develop military-technical cooperation with Indonesia and expect to conclude new defense contracts thanks to the transfer of the aircraft carrier. In 2024, the Italian Fincantieri signed a contract with the Indonesian Ministry of Defense for the sale of two multi-purpose patrol ships PPA, which were built for the Italian Navy. Both ships were transferred in 2025. In February 2026, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense signed a letter of intent with the Leonardo Group for the purchase of M-346F Block aircraft.20.
The aircraft carrier (C551) Giuseppe Garibaldi, launched in 1985, was transferred to the reserve in October 2024. In December 2024, the new universal amphibious assault ship Trieste joined the Italian Navy, replacing the Giuseppe Garibaldi and taking the place of the flagship of the amphibious assault group of the Italian Navy.
The Indonesian Navy is expected to convert the aircraft carrier into a platform for the use of helicopters and helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
