Indonesia commissions 1st aircraft carrier

Indonesia on Thursday commissioned its first aircraft carrier, KRI Sriwijaya-100, into the Navy at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta, according to Jakarta Globe.

The vessel, formerly the Italian Navy’s Giuseppe Garibaldi, was formally inducted after being acquired by Indonesia. Italy retired the ship in 2024 after more than four decades of service.

Col. Mochamad Fuad Hasan was formally appointed commander of the vessel.

The 180.2-meter-long (591-foot-long) vessel has a displacement of about 13,850 tons and a flight deck capable of operating helicopters and short-takeoff and vertical-landing aircraft.

Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Muhammad Ali said Indonesia is training pilots to operate S-70 helicopters from KRI Sriwijaya-100.

The Navy hopes eventually to equip the carrier with vertical-takeoff combat aircraft, although no acquisition has been announced. The ship previously operated AV-8B Harrier II jets with the Italian Navy.

KRI Sriwijaya-100 will also serve as a maritime command platform and support disaster response, humanitarian aid and efforts to combat forest and land fires.