Connecting research with shipbuilding
The propulsion project falls under a broader agreement covering research, development, and the application of innovations in the maritime, energy, and process industries. Suara Merdeka Surabaya reported that PT PAL Indonesia Production Director Diana Rosa and BRIN Deputy for Research and Innovation Utilization E Hendrian signed the memorandum of understanding in Jakarta on October 27, 2026.
Speaking in Surabaya on November 3, Rosa emphasized the need to involve industry in research so that the results address Indonesia's technology needs. "For us, research results must be transformed into applicable technology that meets industry needs," she said.
Rosa described the carrier propulsion work as a way to combine researchers' capabilities with industrial experience. The partners intend to draw on domestic research to explore more advanced propulsion and energy technologies, with the aim of moving findings beyond the research stage and into practical industrial use.
Developing propulsion expertise is seen as a way for Indonesian shipbuilders to improve ship design, engineering, and systems integration without depending entirely on foreign technology. Rosa said she hoped the partnership would also strengthen workforce skills and yield strategically valuable technology, helping Indonesia build a more independent and competitive maritime industry.
The carrier and its current propulsion
KRI Sriwijaya-100 entered Indonesian Navy service in September 2026 after Italy transferred it through an intergovernmental grant, according to RRI (Voice of Indonesia). Previously named ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, the former Italian Navy carrier bore hull number C551.
The ship currently uses a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) configuration with four FIAT/GE LM-2500 gas turbines. RRI puts their combined output at approximately 60,400 kilowatts, or nearly 81,000 horsepower. The carrier can reach about 30 knots and has a range of up to 7,000 nautical miles.
Its acquisition made Indonesia the second Southeast Asian navy to operate an aircraft-carrier-sized vessel, following Thailand with its Spanish-built HTMS Chakri Naruebet, Asian Military Review reported.
A separate modernization effort
The 41-year-old carrier is expected to serve Indonesia for another 15 to 20 years, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali said, according to Asian Military Review.
The publication reported that Indonesia's Ministry of Finance has set aside approximately US$450 million for the ship's modernization, while local lawmakers have said the final cost could reach US$900 million. PT PAL and Italy's Fincantieri have signed a separate memorandum of understanding to cooperate on that modernization program.
