September 7, 2026 | 07:36 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto plans to convert the Italian-built aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi into a platform for helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. The vessel, acquired by Indonesia through a grant mechanism, will soon arrive in the country to bolster the primary defense equipment system of the Indonesian Navy.
"We will refurbish and transform it into a carrier for helicopters and drones," Prabowo said during a limited meeting on disaster management at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, September 7, 2026.
According to the state head, the Giuseppe Garibaldi can accommodate 10 medium-class helicopters, such as Black Hawks and Mi-17s, each capable of carrying 4 to 5 tons of water for disaster response operations. "So if we have 10 helicopters, they can immediately reach the areas hardest hit by fires. This will greatly help our response," Prabowo said.
The Giuseppe Garibaldi set sail from Italy for Indonesia on August 24, 2026. It is expected to arrive in Jakarta in approximately three weeks. Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Headquarters stated that the vessel, to be renamed KRI Gajah Mada, will reinforce the national defense system.
"The addition of this defense asset will enhance the TNI's operational capabilities and readiness," said Maj. Gen. Muhammad Nas, Head of the TNI Information Center, when contacted on Saturday, September 5, 2026.
Nas stated that the Indonesian Navy is fully prepared to receive the aircraft carrier, spanning personnel readiness to maintenance logistics. However, Nas stopped short of disclosing where the ship will eventually dock.
Read: TNI Says Garibaldi Aircraft Carrier Boosts Operational Readiness
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