Indonesia's First Aircraft Carrier: Former Italian Ship ‘Garibaldi’ Reaches Domestic Waters

Key Points:

• The Indonesian Navy officially welcomed the former Italian aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, now renamed KRI Sriwijaya, marking Indonesia's first-ever aircraft carrier acquisition.
• The carrier departed Italy on 24 August with a mixed Italian-Indonesian crew, transited the Suez Canal, and made stops in Egypt and Sri Lanka before entering Indonesian waters through the Malacca Strait.
• KRI Sriwijaya was escorted into Indonesian waters by two Indonesian Navy frigates, KRI Brawijaya and KRI Prabu Siliwangi, along with a CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft.
• The carrier is expected to arrive at Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok Port on 18 September and will feature prominently in the Indonesian National Armed Forces’ anniversary celebrations on 5 October.
• The Indonesian Navy plans to use KRI Sriwijaya primarily for Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW), focusing on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, supported by joint inter-service helicopter training to prepare for flight operations on the carrier.