Asia Defense | Security | Southeast Asia

Why Indonesia’s Proposed Aircraft Carrier Acquisition Makes Sense

The Giuseppe Garibaldi could enhance the operational flexibility of the Indonesian Navy, while remaining consistent with the country’s overall defense posture.

The Italian aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi and the Turkish frigate TCG Gediz steam through the Atlantic Ocean while participating in the Majestic Eagle 2004 naval exercise, Jul. 12, 2004.

Indonesia’s plan to acquire the former Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi has prompted a heated debate within the country. Critics contend that the acquisition is unnecessary and financially burdensome, emphasizing that aircraft carriers are ill-suited to Indonesia’s archipelagic defense requirements. Additionally, some question the government’s assertion that the vessel could serve humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) functions, arguing that an aircraft carrier is neither designed nor cost-effective as a “floating aid ship.”

However, these criticisms, and much of the broader discourse surrounding the acquisition, remain anchored in a conventional view of aircraft carriers as platforms for power projection and carrier strike operations.

This perspective may overlook how such a platform fits Indonesia’s unique strategic context. As the world’s largest archipelagic state, Indonesia must coordinate security and maritime operations across vast, dispersed waters. In this environment, large aviation-capable vessels may serve purposes different from the traditional carrier model. The Indonesian term for an aircraft carrier, kapal induk, literally meaning “mother ship,” implies a platform that hosts and supports other assets, including helicopters, unmanned systems, and command elements. Examining how the concept of kapal induk aligns with Indonesia’s archipelagic defense environment provides a useful foundation for assessing the potential use of such a platform.

Unpacking the Meaning Behind “Kapal Induk”

The term kapal induk conveys a meaning distinct from the conventional concept of an aircraft carrier. In Indonesian, induk means “mother” or “parent,” referring to an entity that hosts, nurtures, or coordinates other elements within a larger system. In naval contexts, this interpretation closely aligns with the concept of a mothership: a platform designed to support and organize the operations of smaller assets, rather than serving primarily as a strike platform.

This semantic framing differs from the typical understanding of aircraft carriers in Western naval discourse, in which they are primarily associated with power projection and carrier strike operations, with fixed-wing aviation constituting the fleet’s core offensive capability. In contrast, the notion of a kapal induk allows the platform to be conceptualized more broadly as a hub that hosts helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, and command elements, while also potentially supporting other unmanned platforms such as surface or underwater vehicles.

Such an interpretation aligns with Indonesia’s operational environment as an archipelagic state. Managing extensive maritime spaces, dispersed islands, and critical sea lanes require platforms capable of coordinating aerial surveillance, rapid response, and maritime domain awareness across a broad area. In this context, a kapal induk is best seen as a mobile node for aviation support and maritime coordination, rather than as a tool for expeditionary warfare, although it can be appropriated to support such missions as well. This perspective helps explain why Indonesian discourse often emphasizes the ship’s support role rather than its use as a traditional strike carrier.

Archipelagic Defense and the Logic of Sea Basing

From this perspective, the concept of a kapal induk aligns with the operational logic of sea basing, which uses maritime platforms as mobile hubs to enable operations without heavy reliance on fixed land bases. Rather than functioning solely as combat platforms, these vessels serve as floating nodes that support aviation, logistics, command, and coordination across a broader maritime theater.

For an archipelagic nation such as Indonesia, this logic is especially relevant because of the limited supporting infrastructure on many outer islands. In this environment, rapidly deployable platforms capable of hosting helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other maritime systems can enhance surveillance, maritime domain awareness, and rapid response. Thus, a large aviation-capable ship may function less as the centerpiece of a strike-oriented fleet and more as a floating operational hub supporting distributed maritime operations.

This operational logic is also evident in other navies. The U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Base ships, such as the USS Lewis B. Puller, are designed to support helicopters and unmanned systems for a range of maritime missions. They effectively function as floating bases that coordinate activities across a wide maritime area. While Indonesia’s prospective carrier differs in design and heritage, this comparison highlights how large aviation-capable platforms can serve as enabling nodes within a broader network of maritime operations.

Viewed from this perspective, the concept of a kapal induk is less about replicating the carrier strike traditions of major naval powers than about adapting the idea of a sea-based operational hub to Indonesia’s archipelagic environment.

A Carrier Without a Traditional “Carrier Doctrine”

When viewed through this lens, Indonesia’s potential carrier acquisition does not necessarily signal a shift toward traditional carrier warfare or a “blue water” naval posture. Operating a conventional carrier strike capability would require specialized aircraft, extensive training pipelines, escort forces, and extensive supporting infrastructure. These requirements represent a level of doctrinal and institutional transformation that may not align with Indonesia’s current defense priorities.

Instead, the platform may ultimately serve a more flexible set of roles that would enhance the operational flexibility of the Indonesian Navy while remaining consistent with Indonesia’s strategic environment and defense posture.

This approach may represent a pragmatic balance between strategic signaling and operational practicality. Possessing a carrier-sized platform can demonstrate technological ambition and maritime capability, while interpreting it as a kapal induk enables integration into Indonesia’s existing defense priorities as an archipelagic state without requiring a substantial shift in naval outlook or defense strategy. The significance of the Giuseppe Garibaldi may lie less in transforming Indonesia’s naval doctrine and more in expanding the range of roles that a large aviation-support platform can fulfil within Indonesia’s maritime strategy.

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Indonesia’s plan to acquire the former Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi has prompted a heated debate within the country. Critics contend that the acquisition is unnecessary and financially burdensome, emphasizing that aircraft carriers are ill-suited to Indonesia’s archipelagic defense requirements. Additionally, some question the government’s assertion that the vessel could serve humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) functions, arguing that an aircraft carrier is neither designed nor cost-effective as a “floating aid ship.”

However, these criticisms, and much of the broader discourse surrounding the acquisition, remain anchored in a conventional view of aircraft carriers as platforms for power projection and carrier strike operations.

This perspective may overlook how such a platform fits Indonesia’s unique strategic context. As the world’s largest archipelagic state, Indonesia must coordinate security and maritime operations across vast, dispersed waters. In this environment, large aviation-capable vessels may serve purposes different from the traditional carrier model. The Indonesian term for an aircraft carrier, kapal induk, literally meaning “mother ship,” implies a platform that hosts and supports other assets, including helicopters, unmanned systems, and command elements. Examining how the concept of kapal induk aligns with Indonesia’s archipelagic defense environment provides a useful foundation for assessing the potential use of such a platform.

Unpacking the Meaning Behind “Kapal Induk”

The term kapal induk conveys a meaning distinct from the conventional concept of an aircraft carrier. In Indonesian, induk means “mother” or “parent,” referring to an entity that hosts, nurtures, or coordinates other elements within a larger system. In naval contexts, this interpretation closely aligns with the concept of a mothership: a platform designed to support and organize the operations of smaller assets, rather than serving primarily as a strike platform.

This semantic framing differs from the typical understanding of aircraft carriers in Western naval discourse, in which they are primarily associated with power projection and carrier strike operations, with fixed-wing aviation constituting the fleet’s core offensive capability. In contrast, the notion of a kapal induk allows the platform to be conceptualized more broadly as a hub that hosts helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, and command elements, while also potentially supporting other unmanned platforms such as surface or underwater vehicles.

Such an interpretation aligns with Indonesia’s operational environment as an archipelagic state. Managing extensive maritime spaces, dispersed islands, and critical sea lanes require platforms capable of coordinating aerial surveillance, rapid response, and maritime domain awareness across a broad area. In this context, a kapal induk is best seen as a mobile node for aviation support and maritime coordination, rather than as a tool for expeditionary warfare, although it can be appropriated to support such missions as well. This perspective helps explain why Indonesian discourse often emphasizes the ship’s support role rather than its use as a traditional strike carrier.

Archipelagic Defense and the Logic of Sea Basing

From this perspective, the concept of a kapal induk aligns with the operational logic of sea basing, which uses maritime platforms as mobile hubs to enable operations without heavy reliance on fixed land bases. Rather than functioning solely as combat platforms, these vessels serve as floating nodes that support aviation, logistics, command, and coordination across a broader maritime theater.

For an archipelagic nation such as Indonesia, this logic is especially relevant because of the limited supporting infrastructure on many outer islands. In this environment, rapidly deployable platforms capable of hosting helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other maritime systems can enhance surveillance, maritime domain awareness, and rapid response. Thus, a large aviation-capable ship may function less as the centerpiece of a strike-oriented fleet and more as a floating operational hub supporting distributed maritime operations.

This operational logic is also evident in other navies. The U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Base ships, such as the USS Lewis B. Puller, are designed to support helicopters and unmanned systems for a range of maritime missions. They effectively function as floating bases that coordinate activities across a wide maritime area. While Indonesia’s prospective carrier differs in design and heritage, this comparison highlights how large aviation-capable platforms can serve as enabling nodes within a broader network of maritime operations.

Viewed from this perspective, the concept of a kapal induk is less about replicating the carrier strike traditions of major naval powers than about adapting the idea of a sea-based operational hub to Indonesia’s archipelagic environment.

A Carrier Without a Traditional “Carrier Doctrine”

When viewed through this lens, Indonesia’s potential carrier acquisition does not necessarily signal a shift toward traditional carrier warfare or a “blue water” naval posture. Operating a conventional carrier strike capability would require specialized aircraft, extensive training pipelines, escort forces, and extensive supporting infrastructure. These requirements represent a level of doctrinal and institutional transformation that may not align with Indonesia’s current defense priorities.

Instead, the platform may ultimately serve a more flexible set of roles that would enhance the operational flexibility of the Indonesian Navy while remaining consistent with Indonesia’s strategic environment and defense posture.

This approach may represent a pragmatic balance between strategic signaling and operational practicality. Possessing a carrier-sized platform can demonstrate technological ambition and maritime capability, while interpreting it as a kapal induk enables integration into Indonesia’s existing defense priorities as an archipelagic state without requiring a substantial shift in naval outlook or defense strategy. The significance of the Giuseppe Garibaldi may lie less in transforming Indonesia’s naval doctrine and more in expanding the range of roles that a large aviation-support platform can fulfil within Indonesia’s maritime strategy.

Chong De Xian is an Associate Research Fellow in the Maritime Security Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

Joseph Kristanto is a Research Analyst with the Maritime Security Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

Indonesia aircraft carrier

Indonesia maritime security

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