September 8, 2026 | 07:15 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia will deploy the Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi to help tackle forest and land fires after the vessel arrives in the country on September 17, the Navy said Tuesday.
Navy Information Service Chief Rear Adm. Tunggul said the carrier is currently in the Arabian Sea and is expected to reach Indonesia on September 17, barring any delays.
Once in Indonesia, the ship will be used as a base for helicopters and drones supporting firefighting operations, Tunggul said. Medium-sized helicopters operating from the vessel are expected to carry four to five tons of water to fire hotspots.
“Garibaldi is planned to arrive in Indonesia and serve as a carrier for helicopters and drones. It can accommodate medium-sized helicopters capable of carrying four to five tons of water, so the hope is they can quickly reach fire hotspots and help tackle forest and land fires,” Tunggul told ANTARA in Jakarta.
Tunggul did not disclose details about preparations for the operation, including the equipment or personnel that would be deployed aboard the vessel. He said the carrier would be put to use for firefighting once it arrives.
Prabowo announces plans for carrier
President Prabowo Subianto first announced the plan on Monday, September 7, during a meeting on the government’s response to disasters.
Prabowo said the Italian vessel would be refurbished for use as a platform for helicopters and drones after joining the Indonesian Navy.
“Fortunately, an aircraft carrier from Italy will soon join our Navy. We will refurbish it and convert it into a carrier for helicopters and drones,” Prabowo said, according to a broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat.
He said the carrier could accommodate up to 10 medium-sized helicopters, including aircraft with capabilities comparable to the Black Hawk and Mi-17.
Prabowo said the helicopters could carry about four to five tons of water and be deployed to areas with large numbers of fire hotspots.
“If we have 10 helicopters, they can quickly move to the areas with the most fire hotspots. This will greatly help our response,” he said.
The plan comes as Indonesia deals with forest and land fires in several parts of the country. Prabowo said the government needed to strengthen its preparedness and have disaster-response equipment ready before emergencies occur.
“We have to prepare for mitigation. We should not wait for an incident to happen. We have to prepare well in advance,” he said.
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