Indonesia to Receive Italian Carrier for Disaster Response
- 07 Sep 2026 22:14 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- President Prabowo Subianto announced the acquisition of an Italian aircraft carrier for the Indonesian Navy.
- The carrier will deploy heavy-lift helicopters and drones to combat widespread forest and land fires.
- President Prabowo instructed BRIN to develop advanced aerial firefighting technology and weather modification agents.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia will soon receive an aircraft carrier from Italy capable of carrying 10 medium‑class helicopters and drones. President Prabowo Subianto said the vessel is needed to strengthen the country’s disaster management capacity.
“Alhamdulillah, the Italian carrier will soon join our Navy,” President Prabowo stated at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, September 7, 2026. “We will refurbish it into a helicopter and drone carrier.”
The announcement came during a virtual cabinet meeting with regional leaders, focused on disaster response across the archipelago--including the recent earthquake in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, forest and land fires, and the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait.
The President explained that the carrier can deploy Black Hawk and Mi‑17 helicopters, each capable of transporting four to five tons of water, to extinguish wildfire hotspots. “With 10 helicopters, we can quickly reach the largest fire zones,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for drones with large water‑carrying capacity. “If we have 10 drones, that means 500 tons of water available for firefighting,” he noted.
The President instructed the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to develop such drones and study efficient substances to accelerate weather modification.
Prabowo stressed that disaster mitigation must be prepared in advance, given Indonesia’s vulnerability as part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. “We must not wait until disaster strikes. Preparation must be made well beforehand,” he said. (Diva Rifdah)
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