The vessel, built by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, has previously been used to support the Italian navy.
The ministry's Head of the Public Relations and Information Bureau, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, on Friday, explained that receiving the grant does not eliminate the ministry's financial obligations.
"The Giuseppe Garibaldi is a grant from the Italian government. The Indonesian government will allocate a budget for retrofitting or adjustments to meet the operational needs of the Indonesian Navy," he conveyed.
According to him, negotiations and administrative processes are currently ongoing between the two parties.
Once the negotiations and administrative requirements are complete, the Indonesian Navy will adjust the aircraft carrier's technology to meet its own needs.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated that Indonesia's first Italian-built aircraft carrier, the Giuseppe Garibaldi, is targeted to arrive in Indonesia before the anniversary of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) on October 5, 2026.
"The Garibaldi is still in process. We hope it will arrive in Indonesia before TNI's anniversary," he spoke to the press on Thursday (February 12).
He addressed that the Ministry of Defense is still in the negotiation process with the Italian shipyard, Fincantieri.
Ali added that negotiations between the Ministry of Defense and the Italian Navy, the vessel’s former operator, are also still ongoing.
This aircraft carrier shares similarities with the Indonesian Navy's two new warships (KRIs), namely the KRI Brawijaya 320 and KRI Prabu Siliwangi 321, both built by Fincantieri.
This 180.2-meter-long aircraft carrier is equipped with super-power engines capable of propelling the ship at a speed of 30 knots or 56 kilometers per hour.
This fighter aircraft carrier is also equipped with several radar jammers and weapons such as the Mk.29 octuple launcher for Sea Sparrow/Selenia Aspide anti-aircraft missiles, Twin Oto Melara 40L70 DARDO, 324 mm triple torpedo tubes, and the Otomat Mk.2 SSM.
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Translator: Walda Marison, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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