9s Maritime Civilization Revival]]>

Vocational education should align with maritime industry needs. Marine research must integrate with economic and security policies.

Only then can we shift from naval power to national maritime power.

A Civilizational Moment

Ultimately, the Garibaldi issue is not about whether Indonesia deserves to own an aircraft carrier.

The more fundamental question is whether this nation is ready to change its perspective on the sea.

We have treated the sea for too long as mere space between islands, while the sea geographically unites Indonesia and determines its strategic position in the world.

Trade moves through the sea. Energy and resources come from the sea. Threats may also emerge from the sea.

Through the sea, Indonesia’s connectivity, diplomacy, and influence are projected.

Therefore, owning the first aircraft carrier should become a momentum to rebuild maritime consciousness.

Garibaldi can be its symbol. But a symbol only matters if it produces real change.

We need a roadmap that links experience operating Garibaldi with national capability building through 2045.

The initial stage should focus on operational learning, retrofit, and maintenance mastery.

The next stage should strengthen naval aviation, drones, C4ISR, and component industries.

Afterward, integration systems and national design capabilities should expand.

The goal is not merely for Indonesia to own a bigger carrier one day.

The goal is for Indonesia to have the capability to design, build, operate, and maintain its own strategic maritime systems.

That is where Garibaldi gains its historical significance.

This ship indeed comes from Italy. It is over 40 years old. Its modernization requires trillions of rupiah.

Its operation will require a non-negligible budget. All must be calculated transparently and responsibly.

But the age of a ship does not define the longevity of an idea.

If Indonesia can turn Garibaldi into a technology school, an industrial laboratory, a drone base, a humanitarian platform, and a catalyst for maritime ecosystem revival, its strategic value will not stop at a 13,850-ton displacement or 180-meter length.

It will be measured by the new capacities it leaves behind for the nation.

In the end, Indonesia’s first aircraft carrier should not become a monument of pride but a national learning engine.

From ship to technology. From technology to industry.

From industry to prosperity. From prosperity to national strength. And from national strength to maritime civilization.

Garibaldi has arrived in Jakarta. What must set sail soon after is not only the ship but Indonesia’s grand vision to reposition the sea as the center of power, prosperity, and the nation’s future.