Indonesia receives 14,000-ton aircraft carrier from Italy
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Indonesia has taken delivery of its first aircraft carrier, the 14,000-ton KRI Gajah Mada, formerly Italy's Giuseppe Garibaldi. The vessel departed Taranto and is sailing via the Suez Canal toward Indonesian waters ahead of a September 25 commissioning ceremony attended by President Prabowo Subianto. The acquisition makes Indonesia the second Southeast Asian nation to operate an aircraft carrier, after Thailand.
Key Facts
- The 14,000-ton carrier, built during the Cold War, departed Taranto, Italy, and is transiting the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean toward Indonesia.
- A formal handover ceremony is scheduled for September 25, with President Prabowo Subianto attending the commissioning.
- Indonesia becomes the second Southeast Asian country to operate an aircraft carrier, after Thailand.
- The ship will be based at Lampung (Teluk Ratai) near the Sunda Strait, a strategic chokepoint for trade and energy transit.
- The carrier will not host a fighter jet squadron; it will operate helicopters and possibly Bayraktar TB3 drones as a joint aviation hub.
The Vessel
The KRI Gajah Mada is a 14,000-ton aircraft carrier originally built during the Cold War as Italy's Giuseppe Garibaldi. It departed Taranto and is sailing via the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean toward Indonesian waters. The ship is approximately forty years old and will require modernization and high maintenance budgets to remain effective.
Strategic Role
The carrier will be stationed at Lampung (Teluk Ratai) near the Sunda Strait, a key chokepoint for trade and energy transit. Officials emphasize the ship is not a regional threat or invasion tool but a logistics base for humanitarian aid and disaster response. The acquisition aims to provide mobile command, search-and-rescue, and surveillance capacity for the archipelago of more than 17,000 islands. The vessel will not carry a fighter jet squadron; it will be equipped with helicopters and possibly Bayraktar TB3 drones as a joint aviation hub.
Operational Challenges
Experts note that effective use of the aging platform depends on high maintenance budgets, trained personnel, and full integration with surface escort ships. The ship's commissioning ceremony is scheduled for September 25, with President Prabowo Subianto in attendance.
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Indonesia receives 14,000-ton aircraft carrier from Italy
