Garibaldi carrier sails to RI, due before TNI anniversary
The donated Italian ship crossed Suez and Colombo and will be renamed KRI Gajah Mada after arriving in Indonesia.
The aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi departed Italy for Indonesia on 24 August 2026 and is expected to arrive by late September, before the 81st TNI anniversary. The ship, donated by Italy, is still sailing under its original name and flag during the voyage. Its route passes through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, with stops in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, before entering Indonesian waters. The Italian Navy has assigned a frigate escort along the vulnerable stretch. As the ship nears Indonesia, at least two KRI and Puspenerbal air assets will welcome and escort it. After formally joining the TNI AL, Giuseppe Garibaldi is planned to be renamed KRI Gajah Mada.