With the former Italian Navy aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi now commissioned as KRI Sriwijaya-100, a new chapter has begun, with DRASS at the heart of the transition.

Over the past three months, DRASS has led a comprehensive training and familiarisation programme for the Indonesian Navy, supporting the crew throughout the ship’s transition and subsequent voyage from Italy to Indonesia, in preparation for her future role within the Indonesian Navy.

To deliver this, DRASS assembled a team of instructors comprising highly experienced retired Italian Navy officers, coordinated by Admiral (Ret.) Liborio F. Palombella, sharing decades of operational experience directly with their Indonesian counterparts.

Training began in Taranto, with onboard classroom sessions introducing the systems before moving into the compartments, one installation at a time. It then continued at sea, where Indonesian personnel took their place beside the Italian watchkeepers, progressing from observation to supervised operation, to operating the systems themselves during the final leg towards Jakarta. Meanwhile, the ship’s technical documentation was verified, reorganised and translated into English and Bahasa Indonesia, ensuring this knowledge remains on board.

At the centre of this effort are the first 100 Indonesian sailors — the core around which the full crew is built, including future Indonesian trainers. Now that KRI Sriwijaya has entered Indonesian service, DRASS’ role continues, supporting the crew through further consultancy and training, while Indonesian instructors progressively take an active role alongside DRASS tutors.

The next chapter will see KRI Sriwijaya undergo a major modernisation programme, bringing together Italian and Indonesian defence industry capabilities to prepare the vessel for her operational role. This work is part of the growing DRASS–Indonesia industrial relationship, including our strategic partnership with Republik Palindo, supporting Indonesia’s development of advanced maritime and underwater capabilities.

From knowledge transfer and ship transfer to capability development and future modernisation, DRASS strengthens its long-term strategic partnership with Indonesia, founded on technology, expertise and operational capability.