The Indonesian Ministry of Defense is exploring the potential acquisition of Italian light aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, signaling a major step forward in the country’s naval modernization drive and blue-water aspirations.

“This is currently being discussed at the state-to-state level between the two governments. No formal procurement decision has yet been made,” Mauro Manzini, Director of Naval Sales at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, said during the Indodefence 2025 exhibition held in Jakarta from June 11–14, 2025.

While the decision remains pending at the intergovernmental level. Manzini cited the Indonesian Navy has expressed interest in acquiring the decommissioned Giuseppe Garibaldi.

He emphasized that the Garibaldi, which served the Italian Navy for decades, remains in good condition with an estimated 15 to 20 years of operational life remaining. Should Indonesia proceed, the ship would undergo tailored refurbishments to meet the Indonesian Navy’s specifications before transfer.

Manzini highlighted the carrier’s versatility, citing its capability to operate a wide array of platforms including drones, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and amphibious assets. “It also has a proven record in humanitarian and disaster relief missions,” he said, noting its role in delivering aid to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

At İndo defense 2025, leading Indonesian defense firm REPUBLIKORP, in collaboration with shipbuilder PT Palindo Marine, showcased a scale model of a futuristic naval task force. The display included a notional aircraft carrier labeled Giuseppe Garibaldi, alongside stealth corvettes, fast attack craft, submarines, and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

While the carrier model bore the Garibaldi name, its design deviated from the real vessel, suggesting a conceptual visualization rather than a direct replica. This underscores the flexibility of Indonesia’s future naval vision, blending operational capabilities with aspirational design.

Bayraktar TB3

One of the key highlights in Indodefence 2025 was the prominent display of Turkish defense firm Baykar Technologies’ Bayraktar TB3, a shipborne-capable unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) designed for short take-off operations. This drone is compatible with carrier-deck operations, including those on vessels like Turkey’s TCG Anadolu.

Baykar officials confirmed that Indonesia has signed a preliminary agreement to procure 60 TB3 drones, with final contractual negotiations ongoing. The deal reportedly includes both shipborne and land-based variants of the TB3, a detail disclosed publicly for the first time.

“The land-based variant has a higher maximum take-off weight (MTOW), greater fuel capacity, and longer endurance than the naval version,” a company representative said as quoted by Naval News on June 21, 2025.Also present on the carrier model was the Bayraktar AKINCI, a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV, although it is not designed for carrier operations. Its inclusion is understood to be for visual representation only.

The potential acquisition of the Giuseppe Garibaldi would mark a historic milestone for Indonesia, possibly making it the first Southeast Asian nation to operate an aircraft carrier.

Coupled with the planned integration of shipborne UAVs like the TB3, the Indonesian Navy is clearly seeking to bolster its maritime surveillance, deterrence, and force projection capabilities in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region.