However, Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a researcher at the Rabdan Security & Defence Institute (RSDI) in Abu Dhabi, argued that aircraft carriers such as the Garibaldi and the Chakri Naruebet are not ideal for disaster relief.
“Disaster response requires speed, flexibility, shallow-water access, and the ability to move personnel, engineering equipment, medical facilities, and relief supplies directly ashore,” Rahman wrote in an article on The Diplomat’s website on Jan 13.
Instead, he argued that Indonesia’s acquisition of an aircraft carrier could put other Southeast Asian countries on edge.
“Neighbours and external powers are unlikely to view a carrier primarily as a disaster-relief tool, regardless of how it is described domestically,” he said.
“In a region already sensitive to naval modernisation and balance-of-power dynamics, such an acquisition would inevitably be interpreted through a military lens.”
However, Fahmi of ISESS does not believe Indonesia’s acquisition will lead to a maritime arms race in the region.
“The ship is already 40 years old, it has limited capabilities compared to more modern aircraft carriers, it cannot accommodate the latest generation of jet fighters. These are the reasons why I don’t believe the acquisition of Garibaldi will upset regional stability,” he said.
PRUDENT FOUNDATION?
Without fighter jets capable of taking off from and landing on its deck, the Giuseppe Garibaldi could risk the same fate as Thailand’s Chakri Naruebet, which spends much of its time docked at Sattahip Naval Base in Chonburi province aside from occasional humanitarian deployments, analysts said.
One of the main reasons the US$336 million Thai carrier has been underutilised is cost. Forbes reported in 2021 that fuelling the vessel’s diesel-and-gas power plant alone could cost nearly US$50,000. The figure excludes the cost to feed hundreds of personnel and other expenditure.
The nine Harrier jets that initially operated from the carrier were also expensive to maintain since spare parts were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. They were eventually decommissioned in 2006.
The Garibaldi is similarly costly to operate. In 2011, the Italian Navy reportedly spent about €80 million (US$94 million) to deploy the carrier during a NATO mission in Libya.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-aircraft-carrier-military-strategic-maritime-5942391
