How Prabowo Plans to Convert Italy’s Garibaldi Ship

Indonesia plans to turn the Italian-built Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier into a platform for helicopters and drones, giving the vessel a role in disaster response as well as national defense.

President Prabowo Subianto announced the plan during a limited meeting on disaster management at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. “We will refurbish and transform it into a carrier for helicopters and drones,” he said.

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We will refurbish and transform it into a carrier for helicopters and drones.

Prabowo said the ship could carry 10 medium-class helicopters, including Black Hawks and Mi-17s. Each helicopter, he said, could carry between four and five tons of water. That capacity would allow aircraft to reach areas badly affected by fires, he added.

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So if we have 10 helicopters, they can immediately reach the areas hardest hit by fires. This will greatly help our response.

The ship left Italy for Indonesia on Aug. 24 and is expected to arrive in Jakarta in approximately three weeks. Indonesia acquired it through a grant mechanism, and the vessel will reportedly be renamed KRI Gajah Mada.

Maj. Gen. Muhammad Nas, head of the TNI Information Center, said the new defense asset would improve the armed forces’ operational capabilities and readiness. He said the Navy was preparing personnel and maintenance logistics, but did not disclose where the ship would eventually dock.

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The addition of this defense asset will enhance the TNI's operational capabilities and readiness.