00:00Indonesia has acquired an aircraft carrier. Following Thailand, it has become the second
00:03country in Southeast Asia to operate an aircraft carrier after about 30 years,
00:06but apparently they don't even have any fighter jets to use on the carrier.
00:08Currently, Indonesia has decided to acquire the Giuseppe Garibaldi, which was an aircraft
00:12carrier of the Italian Navy. Since 2025, Indonesia has expressed its intention to
00:16acquire the retired Garibaldi-class aircraft carrier. Italy has formalized the deal by
00:21submitting a proposal to provide the carrier to Indonesia free of charge, aiming to expand
00:25its defense exports to Indonesia. Currently, the Giuseppe Garibaldi is said to be on its
00:29way to Indonesia and is expected to arrive between September 15th and 20th. Once the
00:33Giuseppe Garibaldi arrives in Indonesia, it will be renamed as the Gajamata. According to reports
00:38from foreign media such as Taiwan's Central News Agency, Indonesia is expected to take out
00:42foreign loans worth $1 billion or about $1.3 trillion won to repair old warships and build
00:47new ones. It seems like they don't have money for the KF-21 fighter jets, but they do have
00:51money to operate an aircraft carrier. The problem is that there are concerns about how reliably
00:55Indonesia can actually operate the Giuseppe Garibaldi. The Giuseppe Garibaldi stopped being
00:59used as an active warship after it was converted to a reserve ship in 2024. A bigger problem is the
01:05combat systems still remaining on the ship. During the transfer to Indonesia, the existing weapon
01:10systems are reportedly not operational and there are no plans to restore them. Therefore, even if
01:15Indonesia acquires this ship, it won't be able to use it as a warship right away. Basic ship functions
01:19necessary for propulsion, navigation, safety, and crew operations are maintained, but Indonesia
01:23will need to separately secure offensive and defensive capabilities to engage enemy ships.
01:27In addition, Indonesia currently does not have fixed-wing carrier aircraft that can operate
01:31from an aircraft carrier. Bringing back the AV-8B Harrier II which the Garibaldi operated in the past
01:35is not a realistic option, and the F-35B is also not an aircraft that Indonesia possesses.
01:40Therefore, from the beginning, it will be difficult for Indonesia to operate an aircraft carrier
01:43equipped with fighter jets. The area that Indonesia is focusing on is unmanned aerial vehicles.
01:48Indonesia is pursuing a local production contract for 60 Bay Ractor TB-3 maritime drones
01:52and 9 Akinci UAVs from Turkey, and there is talk of operating these assets on the Garibaldi in the
01:57future. In particular, the TB-3 is significant because it was developed on the premise of being
02:01operated from ships. If Indonesia actually establishes an operational system for carrier-based operations,
02:05they will need to newly secure pilots, maintenance personnel, and deck crew. It's not enough to simply acquire
02:10the drones themselves. They also need to have take-off and landing procedures, control systems,
02:14maintenance facilities, and a supply of spare parts in place.
02:17The Akinci is also an aircraft that can be used for long-range surveillance and various missions,
02:20so it could become an important factor in the process of deciding the
02:22future composition of Garibaldi's airpower. Naval aviation capability is also being prepared.
02:26Indonesia has approved a loan of $450 million for the introduction of the Garibaldi,
02:29as well as a loan of $250 million for the introduction of new transport helicopters,
02:33and a loan of $300 million for the introduction of multi-purpose helicopters.
02:36It is considered highly likely that these helicopters will be operated from the Garibaldi.
02:39If this happens, Indonesia can configure the Garibaldi not as an aircraft carrier centered on
02:43fighter jets, but as a maritime aviation platform that operates both helicopters and
02:46unmanned aerial vehicles. However, it will take a considerable amount of time before
02:49it becomes an operational capability. Not only does the ship need to be modified,
02:52but the integration of airpower, crew training, establishment of maintenance systems,
02:55and gaining experience in carrier-based air operations must all be carried out simultaneously.
02:59If Indonesia carries out this process properly, there is a possibility that it will establish a
03:02new form of maritime airpower in Southeast Asia, similar to the Turkish-style drone carrier.
03:06However, concerns still remain. Military experts estimate that the annual operating cost of the
03:151 trillion one. This is by no means a small amount. Because of this, there are concerns that Indonesia
03:19could repeat the same mistake as Thailand did with the Chakri Narubat aircraft carrier introduced in 1997.
03:25Currently, the Chakri Narubat aircraft carrier is left idle at Safahe Port due to huge fuel costs and
03:31maintenance issues, and it is being marked as the world's largest royal yacht. There are ongoing concerns
03:36that Indonesia could make the same mistake. That's why Indonesia has said things like,
03:40oh, we also introduced this for disaster relief. Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry. However,
03:44for actual disaster relief missions, landing ships that can easily access shallow coastal waters,
03:49and are more versatile, are much more suitable. So Indonesia's excuse doesn't really hold up.
03:54That's why many experts are questioning why Indonesia is trying to introduce an aircraft carrier now.
03:58This is because Indonesia is pushing to acquire an aircraft carrier, even though it is not yet
04:02fully prepared to operate a large-scale naval fleet. In response, several experts are saying that this
04:07move is not only about military necessity, but also about Indonesia's intention to strengthen its
04:12position in ASEAN and its status as a maritime power. Indonesia is the largest country in ASEAN,
04:17and is considered a key nation in the region in terms of population and economic size with vast
04:21maritime territory and numerous islands. For a country like this to acquire a large aviation
04:24platform in itself can send significant political and military signals to neighbouring countries.
04:28In particular, an aircraft carrier, regardless of how often it is actually deployed in combat,
04:32can serve as a means to demonstrate a nation's maritime operational capabilities.
04:35By possessing an aircraft carrier, the Indonesian navy will be able to expand its role when
04:39participating in long-distance maritime training and multinational joint exercises. It would not
04:42only let Indonesia gain more advanced operational experience through military cooperation with ASEAN
04:46member countries, but also in maritime exercises with major Indo-Pacific countries such as the United
04:50States, Australia, Japan, and India. If Indonesia continues to operate an aircraft carrier,
04:55it could also help strengthen its voice on maritime security within ASEAN. On the other hand,
04:59some security experts argue that the Garibaldi should not be evaluated solely based on its
05:02combat capabilities in the short term. The most important asset Indonesia can gain
05:06from this vessel is the experience of operating an aircraft carrier. Operating an aircraft carrier
05:10requires a different level of personnel management compared to ordinary warship. Not only the ship's
05:14crew, but also flight deck personnel, aircraft maintenance staff, air traffic controllers,
05:18and pilots all need to work together, and even a small mistake can affect the entire air operation.
05:22If Indonesia actually operates the Garibaldi and secures such personnel and organization,
05:26it can accumulate the experience needed to expand its aircraft carrier capabilities in the future,
05:30and above all, there are also suggestions that this move is aimed at China. It's hard to talk
05:34about strengthening Indonesia's naval power without mentioning China and the South China Sea.
05:38Indonesia is not directly involved in all the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
05:42However, there are ongoing maritime frictions with China around the waters near the Natuna Islands,
05:46especially in the waters where China's extensive maritime claims overlap with Indonesia's exclusive
05:51economic zone. The activities of Chinese fishing boats and the Chinese Coast Guard have become major
05:55security concerns for Indonesia. For Indonesia, in this situation, it becomes important to continuously
05:59monitor the vast waters and to have the capability to deploy naval forces over long distances when
06:03necessary. Because Indonesia has numerous islands and vast maritime areas, there are limits to
06:07continuously monitoring all its waters using only air power based at land bases. If helicopters and
06:12drones are loaded onto an aircraft carrier, it becomes possible to move air power to a specific area
06:17and then carry out long-term surveillance missions. Especially if tensions with China rise in the waters
06:21around Natuna, Indonesia's ability to demonstrate its presence at sea becomes important. Even without
06:25assuming an armed conflict, Indonesia can continuously manage its maritime rights by carrying out missions
06:30such as maritime security, surveillance, reconnaissance, and search and rescue. If these
06:33capabilities are expanded, there could be changes in the way Indonesia responds to the South China Sea
06:37dispute. In addition, it is necessary to consider Indonesia's influence within ASEAN. In a situation
06:41where the interests of various ASEAN countries are divided over China and the South China Sea issue,
06:45if Indonesia expands its maritime security capabilities, it is likely to strengthen its voice
06:48in regional security discussions. Therefore, the introduction of the Garibaldi should be seen not just as the
06:53addition of a single warship, but as part of a long-term trend of military alignment aimed at
06:56responding to China's maritime activities and expanding Indonesia's maritime security capability.
07:00But the most important thing is that just because Indonesia has brought in an aircraft carrier
07:03doesn't mean a carrier strike group is complete. In fact, to actually deploy an aircraft carrier in
07:06operations, you need escort forces to move together with it. An aircraft carrier, while having a large
07:11flight deck, cannot independently respond to all threats such as anti-ship missiles, submarines, or enemy
07:15aircraft, so it is essential to have forces to protect it. The first thing you need is an escort ship
07:19with air
07:19defense capabilities. To detect and intercept aircraft or anti-ship missiles approaching the aircraft
07:23carrier, ships equipped with long-range radar and anti-air missiles must operate together, and
07:27responding to submarines is also important. If enemy submarines approach the area around the carrier
07:31strike group, you need anti-submarine aircraft, escort ships, and submarine forces that can detect
07:35and track them. To conduct long-term operations, supply ships are also essential. The aircraft carrier
07:40can continue its mission in distant waters without returning to port only if it can be continuously
07:43supplied with aviation fuel, ship fuel, ammunition, food, and parts. The problem is that Indonesia has only
07:48secured the Garibaldi. But the problem is that just having the Garibaldi aircraft carrier doesn't
07:52automatically mean that this kind of system is in place. To form a carrier strike group, you need to
07:56assign personnel to each ship, establish an integrated command and control system, and conduct training
08:00so that multiple ships and aircraft can share the same situational information and carry out operations
08:04simultaneously. If you add maritime patrol aircraft and reconnaissance assets to this, the area the
08:08carrier strike group can monitor and the situations it can respond to will increase significantly.
08:12Therefore, the challenges Indonesia needs to address do not end with simply acquiring the Garibaldi.
08:15How quickly they can establish escort forces, supply systems, and command and control
08:18capabilities to protect this aircraft carrier and operate it for extended periods will determine
08:21their actual operational capability. That's because being able to send an aircraft carrier
08:24out to sea and having a carrier strike group capable of conducting independent maritime operations
08:28are completely different matters. The problem is, considering Indonesia's defense budget,
08:32even maintaining a single aircraft carrier could be too costly, so it might be difficult.
08:35If they go as far as forming a full carrier strike group, I don't think Indonesia would be able to
08:38handle it. This is exactly why there are so few countries with aircraft carriers. The supporting burden
08:42can end up outweighing the carrier itself.
08:43The
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