OCTOBER 12 — Recent announcement by Indonesia on the purchase of the Giuseppe Garibaldi, a light aircraft carrier from Italy, marks a significant development in Southeast Asia’s naval landscape. 

With this acquisition, Indonesia becomes the second country in Asean to operate an aircraft, after Thailand. 

Senior Indonesian officials have made it clear that the role of the vessel will be dedicated drone and helicopter operation warship, but it will be used primarily for  humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), as well as maritime disaster response. It reflects both unique geographic vulnerabilities of Indonesia and its aspiration to become the regional leader in non-traditional security roles.

The Giuseppe Garibaldi was commissioned in the 1980s. It used to be the flagship of the Italian Navy, participated in various roles in NATO and coalition operations, including the Balkan conflicts, Afghanistan as well as Libya operation. It was designed as a light aircraft carrier that operating vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircraft and helicopters. This 13,000 tons vessel had demonstrated its versatility in missions, but now in need of significant refit and modification to be fit for humanitarian missions in the twenty-first century.  

In fact, the geographic reality of Indonesia justifies the need for such a vessel like Giuseppe Garibaldi. Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands of different size in which many of them lack of basic infrastructures such as a port or jetty, making rapid response during tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions a logistic nightmare.  

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has demonstrated the difficulties in delivery of basic supplies such as food, clean water, and medical aid to remote areas. Hence, a large and mobile platform like the Giuseppe Garibaldi can ensure rapid and direct deployment of relief supplies, emergency medical teams and engineering units to the affected remote islands.

A purpose-built HADR ship must integrate a wide range of capabilities that extend beyond basic military transport. Role 3 surgical wards is a minimum requirement, with fully equipped surgical wards, intensive care units, and quarantine spaces to treat large numbers of casualties. In addition, optometry, dental and pharmacy support must also be in place. 

Natural disasters always result in large number of victims of traumas or internal injuries. The presence of radiology services, for example X-ray, ultrasound and portable CT imaging systems can rapidly establish preliminary diagnostic and monitoring capability to prevent worsening of conditions. In addition, a basic clinical laboratory that can perform point-of-care testing, blood testing, microbiological and haematological testing enable timely diagnosis and guiding treatment decisions.   

Aviation facilities are equally vital, especially helicopters and surveillance drones.

Helicopters are often the only viable means of rapid and reliable transport when ports and airfields are damaged in disasters. HADR vessel, with a broad flight deck, vast hangar space, and maintenance facilities ensure continuous airborne lift.

In addition, reliable communications and command suites are essential for coordinating relief across multiple agencies and disaster zones. Communication and control rooms for drone reconnaissance and operation observation may also be required. 

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) exemplify the versatility of combat-ready platforms to HADR operation during major disasters. In the aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and 2010 Haiti earthquake, these carriers were rapidly deployed to deliver critical aid. 

According to open data, 1737 humanitarian relief missions flew from USS Abraham Lincoln strike group within 9 days after tsunami, with more than 200 survivors treated onboard. In the Haiti operation, USS Carl Vinson evacuated 435 patients and distributed over 1.1 million pounds of aid. 

Although the relief work done at both disasters seem smooth, they are not perfect. According to a reports published, civil-military coordination and logistics are often the bottleneck because of lack of familiarities in liaison capacity and procedures. The interoperability between the military personnel, NGOs, government agencies determine the success of the HADR missions. 

From a strategic level, the acquisition of the Giuseppe Garibaldi can be viewed within the broader spirit of humanitarian cooperation in Asean.

Disaster relief has long been recognized as one of the priority areas in the region, reflected in frameworks such as the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), the establishment of the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre). 

In addition, Asean member states have also been actively collaborated with international partners through regular HADR exercises, such as the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills among its state members, as well as with the United States, Japan and Australia. 

Indonesia’s acquisition of a large-scale HADR-capable vessel could enable it to play a more anchoring role in regional relief operations, offering a unique capability that complements existing Asean mechanisms. 

By providing both logistical backbone and operational leadership, Indonesia could transform the Giuseppe Garibaldi into a regional asset, setting a precedent for how naval platforms can be repurposed for non-traditional security roles in and beyond Southeast Asia.

In fact, the acquisition of an aircraft carrier by Indonesia may stir reaction from neighbouring and regional countries inevitably. It often raises concerns about the shifting in military balance. Yet, Indonesia has been clear in prioritizing the role of Giuseppe Garibaldi in HADR before any military considerations. 

If Jakarta can successfully train its crews, maintain high operational standards, and deploy the vessel effectively in real emergencies, it could set a new example to everyone how a former military platform can be transformed into global humanitarian assets. 

Jakarta not only enhances its own resilience but also elevate its international profile, positioning itself as a leading force for humanitarian relief in Asean and beyond. The ship not only can be a symbol, but also an instrument to demonstrate the commitment to regional solidarity, the vessel can also be serving as a floating ambassador for Asean’s collective spirit of cooperation in times of crisis.

* Phar Kim Beng is Professor of Asean Studies, Director of Institute of Internationalization and Asean Studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Jitkai Chin is Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.