It would be cheaper for Italy to donate the Giuseppe Garibaldi, its retired aircraft carrier, to Indonesia than to scrap it.

Italian revolutionary and republican Giuseppe Garibaldi played a critical role in unifying Italy. During his 14-year period in exile, Garibaldi traveled extensively—spending time in North and South America, where he fought in multiple conflicts. He never visited Indonesia, but soon the Italian warship named for one of the fathers of the Italian state could be transferred to the Maritime Southeast Asian nation.

Earlier in the week, Italy’s parliament backed a government proposal to donate its former flagship, the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi (C551), to Indonesia, according to Reuters.

The plan, which was first announced last year, could further deepen ties between Rome and Jakarta and enhance Italy’s footprint in the Indo-Pacific. It could also allow Italy to avoid deciding what to do with an aging flattop, which costs the Marina Militare (Italian navy) around €5 million ($5.8 million) to maintain every year. Similarly, it was determined that dismantling and recycling the warship would cost Rome nearly €19 million ($22.2 million).

Donating the ship will save Rome a headache, although it could present one to Jakarta down the line.

The Garibaldi Is Old, but Still Capable

The Italian Navy retired the Giuseppe Garibaldi in October 2024, after more than four decades of service, and replaced it with the multi-purpose landing helicopter dock Trieste. During its service life, the carrier participated in deployments in the Mediterranean and off the coast of Africa, including missions to Lebanon, Libya, and Somalia.

Indonesia has sought the flattop for largely non-combat operations, including humanitarian missions, disaster relief, and patrolling its vast archipelagic sea lanes. It could also serve as a training platform for more advanced carrier operations in the future. The Giuseppe Garibaldi may be obsolete in a modern high-intensity combat, but Jakarta could take a page from China’s and India’s playbook by using an old carrier to jump-start a domestic program should the need arise.

Although it was equipped with a ski-jump ramp and operated with short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft, giving it a resemblance to many modern carriers, the Giuseppe Garibaldi was officially designated as an “aircraft-carrying cruiser” rather than a carrier itself. It was the first Italian warship to operate with fixed-wing aircraft. At only 591 feet in length, it is diminutive by modern carrier standards—just over half the length of the US Navy’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarriers.

While in Italian service, Giuseppe Garibaldi operated with an air wing of up to 16 McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) single-engine fighter aircraft. It could still operate with helicopters and drones, but there has been speculation that Rome could use the sale as an opportunity to include its fleet of Harrier IIs in the deal.

Italy’s Arms Industry May Be Gaining a Foothold in the Pacific

The transfer of the carrier, which could be finalized as a donation by the end of 2026, could expand Italian business ties with Indonesia. In addition to the carrier donation, which Jakarta will not have to (directly) pay for, the Italian government is seeking to finalize the sale of submarines and aircraft—altogether worth €1.5 billion ($1.76 billion) —to the large Pacific island nation.

“It is a reasonable operation. Military and industrial cooperation brings returns, including on the political front and in other economic dossiers,” Dr. Alessandro Marrone, a defense expert at Rome’s Istituto Affari Internazionali, told Reuters of the deal.

In 2024, during her five-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific, the current Italian Navy flagship, the aircraft carrier Cavour (C-550), made a port call to Jakarta in September. That visit was also aimed at deepening relationships with the Indonesian Navy and included meetings with officials regarding ongoing and future partnerships with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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