Indonesia commissions its first aircraft carrier

Indonesia has commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the KRI Sriwijaya-100, according to a report from Anadolu Agency. The vessel was formerly the Italian Navy's Giuseppe Garibaldi, which was retired from Italian service in 2024 after more than 40 years in operation.

The acquisition marks a significant expansion of Indonesia's naval capabilities, giving the Southeast Asian nation carrier-based air power for the first time. Indonesia is an archipelagic country spanning thousands of islands, and its navy has long emphasized capabilities suited to patrolling extensive maritime territory and key shipping lanes.

The Giuseppe Garibaldi served as a flagship of the Italian Navy for decades before its retirement, and its transfer to Indonesia reflects a broader pattern in which older carriers from established naval powers are sold or transferred to countries seeking to build out their own blue-water naval capabilities.

Commissioning a carrier typically involves refitting and recertifying the vessel under its new operator's flag, along with training crews and integrating the ship into national defense doctrine. Details on the specific aircraft or helicopter complement Indonesia intends to operate from the carrier, as well as its planned deployment areas, were not fully specified in available reporting.

The move comes as several nations in the Asia-Pacific region continue to modernize and expand their naval forces amid shifting regional security dynamics.