Italian firm Fincantieri and Surabaya-based shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia have established a cooperation framework to modernize Indonesia’s first aircraft carrier.
Commissioned as the KRI Sriwijaya in the Indonesian Navy, the aircraft carrier is the former Italian Navy warship ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi. Jakarta took delivery of the vessel earlier this month under a grant from the Italian government.
The signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) tasks Fincantieri — the carrier’s original designer and builder — to contribute its knowledge of the platform, while PT PAL will provide its expertise in shipbuilding, integration, maintenance, and support services.
The companies will also jointly define the warship’s future modernization approach, which will include the participation of additional stakeholders from Italy and Indonesia, development of local capabilities, and support for Indonesia’s maritime and defense ecosystem.
Fincantieri CEO and Managing Director Pierroberto Folgiero said that the MoU “reflects the strong and steadily growing relationship between Italy and Indonesia in the naval and defense sectors.”
The latest agreement comes after the Indonesian Navy received its second Brawijaya-class offshore patrol vessel, the KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321), from Fincantieri in March.
“Southeast Asia is a key market for Fincantieri and a strategic area for the Group’s international growth, with Indonesia playing a central role in our long-term ambitions in the region,” he added.
KRI Sriwijaya
Fincantieri built the Giuseppe Garibaldi at its Monfalcone shipyard and delivered it to the Italian Navy in 1985, where it served until 2024.
The 180-meter (591-foot) vessel is a short take-off and vertical landing carrier that displaces 13,850 tons and sails at a speed of 30 knots (55.5 kilometers/34.5 miles per hour).
As the ship has the capacity to accommodate around 10 medium-sized helicopters that can carry between four and five tonnes of water, Indonesia planned for KRI Sriwijaya to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief across the archipelago, as per The Straits Times.
While the government approved a budget of about $450 million in funding for the program, the aging vessel faces retrofitting costs that could balloon up to $900 million, risking further strain on the country’s finances and potentially compromising higher-priority naval assets.