Italy has finalized plans to transfer its decommissioned aircraft carrier Garibaldi to Indonesia, closing a politically contentious process that underscored Rome’s evolving approach to defense exports and force restructuring. The move reflects a broader effort to align cost-saving measures with industrial outreach in the Indo-Pacific.
The Italian Senate approved the measure following earlier backing from joint Foreign Affairs and Defense committees in the Chamber of Deputies, which authorized the ministerial decree enabling the ship’s transfer at no cost. With parliamentary clearance secured, the handover is expected to take place by December 2026, formally bringing the vessel into Indonesian Navy service.
Financial considerations played a central role in the decision. Italian defense authorities assessed the ship’s residual value at roughly €54 million but concluded that maintaining the platform in reserve would impose recurring costs without operational benefit. Official documentation stated: “The transfer will avoid significant maintenance costs currently borne by the Navy, estimated for 2025 at approximately €5 million, primarily related to electricity consumption, surveillance services, security and minimum activities necessary to ensure the habitability and integrity of the platform.”
The same assessment outlined a less favorable alternative if the transfer had not been approved. “The Navy would have to initiate the procedure for sale for subsequent scrapping, estimated to last no less than 24 months, with total costs of approximately €18.7 million,” the report noted, adding that uncertainty in attracting viable bids could further increase the financial burden. Defense officials ultimately concluded that “the free transfer of the ship appears to be an economically sustainable option and, overall, more cost-effective than the alternatives of maintaining it in reserve or selling it.”
The Garibaldi, once the flagship of the Marina Militare and a key component of Italy’s expeditionary capability during NATO operations in the Balkans and post-Cold War deployments, has been gradually phased out following the introduction of the larger Cavour and the Trieste amphibious assault ship. Its transfer marks a continuation of a pattern seen across NATO fleets, where legacy platforms are repurposed through allied or partner transfers rather than scrapped outright.
Italy-Indonesia naval ties expand beyond Garibaldi transfer
The deal also aligns with a broader defense industrial push between Italy and Indonesia. Rome has expanded naval cooperation with Jakarta, including the sale of two Thaon di Revel-class multipurpose patrol vessels in a contract valued at roughly $1.25 billion. Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri delivered the second unit, KRI Prabu Siliwangi-321, in December, reinforcing its footprint in Southeast Asia.
For Indonesia, the acquisition of Garibaldi signals an incremental step toward developing limited carrier aviation and enhancing maritime power projection across its vast archipelagic domain. For Italy, the transaction reduces sustainment liabilities while strengthening defense ties in a region of growing strategic importance, where European naval industry is competing more actively with U.S., South Korean and Chinese suppliers.
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