Although the vessel will be handed over as a grant, Jakarta will shoulder the costs of refitting and adapting the ship to meet the operational requirements of the Indonesian Navy.

The 180-metre carrier, capable of speeds of up to 30 knots, previously served the Italian fleet and is equipped with a range of air-defence and anti-ship systems. 

Indonesian officials have indicated that the ship is expected to arrive before October 5, 2026, in time for the anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), subject to the completion of talks.

For context, Giuseppe Garibaldi was retired by Italy in 2025 and would become Indonesia’s first platform capable of operating fixed-wing aircraft at sea, although Jakarta has not yet detailed what aircraft it intends to deploy.

Indonesia joins elite club

Indonesia’s entry into the carrier club would place it among a limited group of nations. According to open-source defence data , the countries currently operating aircraft carriers or large aviation-capable amphibious ships include:

Why aircraft carriers are crucial

The world’s largest carrier force belongs to the United States Navy, which operates 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, including vessels of the Nimitz and Ford classes. Washington aims to sustain a 12-carrier force in the coming years, even as one older vessel is scheduled for retirement.

By contrast, the People's Liberation Army Navy fields three carriers — the Liaoning, Shandong and the newer Fujian — as Beijing seeks to expand blue-water capabilities.

In an earlier interview with Global South World, veteran defence journalist Manny Mogato noted that while the United States maintains a global network of bases and routinely deploys carriers worldwide, China’s carrier fleet remains smaller and less combat-tested. 

This, Mogato said, was China’s primary weakness, as aircraft carriers are a critical factor in naval dominance as they effectively provide a country with an on-the-go, agile air force.

From an investment standpoint, many still view aircraft carriers as a sound purchase.

A 2020 poll of 3,394 readers by Naval Technology found that 82% believe aircraft carriers remain an effective use of naval budgets, underscoring their enduring appeal despite their high cost.

Chinese state media released a computer-generated video of the craft, known as Luanniao, as part of a broader aerospace programme called the Nantianmen Project, led by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

According to CCTV, the Luanniao would be the world’s largest flying warship, capable of carrying up to 88 unmanned fighter aircraft armed with hypersonic missiles and operating above most existing air defence systems.

The concept carrier is colossal. State media descriptions put it at 242 metres long, 684 metres wide, with a take-off weight of 120,000 tonnes, dwarfing any aircraft currently in service.

Chinese outlets say the system could enter service in 20 to 30 years, with some reports suggesting a target date around 2040. No prototype has been publicly confirmed to date.

Defence experts, however, have reservations about the level of technology China aims to achieve.

Hovering or operating at the edge of Earth’s atmosphere would require enormous fuel, advanced propulsion systems and reusable launch capabilities that do not yet exist, experts said, adding that putting such a craft into orbit would also expose it to space debris.

Even so, the concept points to Beijing’s ambitions in air and space power. 

The Luanniao is presented as the centrepiece of the Nantianmen Project, which also includes a sixth-generation “Baidi” fighter jet designed for near-space operations. A model of the jet was displayed at China’s main air show in 2024.

The announcement comes amid an intensifying U.S.-China space and technology rivalry. China has poured resources into rockets, satellites and lunar missions, including the Chang’e-6 mission, which returned samples from the far side of the Moon in 2024.

A follow-up mission, Chang’e-7, aimed at searching for water on the Moon, is scheduled for later this year, underscoring Beijing’s push to expand its space footprint.

China’s expanding military ambitions are backed by a defence budget whose true size remains contested. 

Beijing said its military spending reached $220 billion in 2023, a 7.2% increase from the previous year, but Western estimates suggest the real figure is significantly higher. A 2024 Pentagon report put China’s defence outlays at $330 billion to $450 billion, while some US senators have cited numbers as high as $700 billion. 

Other estimates vary widely, with the International Institute for Strategic Studies placing China’s 2024 budget at about $235 billion, and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimating $317.56 billion.

Whether the Luanniao ever leaves the drawing board, or whether China’s true defence spending matches official claims, one fact is clear: the Asian powerhouse already fields the world ’s largest military and is steadily building the capacity — and ambition — to challenge U.S. dominance.

The president said the initiative would bolster the Navy’s shipbuilding program and modernise the armed forces, describing it as part of a broader effort to “restore American strength at sea.”

Trump also took aim at his political opponents, saying, “I have to take care of this little gnat that's on our shoulder called the Democrats. They want to give all of our money to illegal aliens who pour into the country.”

He reiterated his administration’s stance against what he called “wokeness in the military ,” claiming last week that his leadership was focused on “getting wokeness the hell out” of the armed forces.

The event, held in Virginia, was part of the U.S. Navy’s commemoration of its 250th birthday, celebrating the service’s legacy and ongoing modernisation efforts.