Does anyone know where I can buy an aircraft carrier?

The Royal navy has two but they are both rubbish.

As for the Italian vessel, it might well come with a squadron of Harriers, aircraft that would be more than suitable for Indonesia.

However, you're a little late with the news as this is quite an old story.

Whatever the outcome, Indonesia needs to buy non-US as the greatest military threat is from the United States, a country that has bombed Indonesia in the past, and tried to install a puppet president in the last election.

Prabowo buying French fighters was a very good move.

As for the armed forces in civilian life, it never stopped. Local TNI build community projects such as toilet blocks in remove, poor villages, and do plenty more.

The army is very much part of local life, and that promotes the best form of nationalism. That symbiotic relationship would make Indonesia a very difficult country to conquer. You think the US got hammered in Vietnam, wait to see what happens if a country tries that crap here.

A large military power would see Indonesia fall quickly, but the invader's losses over time would make Vietnam look like a Sunday outing in the park.

That's why the idea of the Indonesian military being part of day to day civilian life is a very good one.

I see you don't understand the way it works, but you will if a country tried to invade us. Any invader would need a very good supply of body bags.

The Vietcong had a very nice local network, but ours has developed over decades, and the military has massive civilian support.

Prabowo is looking good, and has the vast majority of Indonesians support him.

I hear that the recently decommissioned Italian carrier, Garibaldi is for sale.. - @Lotus Eater

          Heard Tesla is making an EV carrier for the US.  Perhaps they could make a second one.

@Fred

Absolutely agree...

Indonesia no need an aircraft carrier because it is not an imperialist, but as a maritime country with thousands of islands it is better to build airports and seaports in all provinces which will be very effective in protecting its territory.

Prabowo prioritizes equality by developing development for its people every province.

cheers

PJ

@zanzio

Well now let us see how things are playing out after Prabowo Subianto's first six months in office. The new president recently announced that he will award himself 6 marks out of ten which is about 5 more than the business community in Jakarta would.

The economy is weak. The Eid al-Fitr holiday was a damp squib with the number of travellers down by a quarter on the year before. Consumer confidence is down since December with capital goods expenditure (cars & bikes) purchases dipping by 3% :Unfortunately Mr Trump cannot be the scapegoat as the above happened before the now delayed 34% tariff on Indonesian exports to the US was announced.

Moreover the stockmarket is down 10% and the Rupiah has weakened by about 7% against the greenback, a record low not reached since 1998.

Looks like the aircraft carrier might have to be put on hold. Either that or just leave it in port on standby as a deterrent..

......

This out of date info was removed by Fred

Consumer confidence is down since December with capital goods expenditure (cars & bikes) purchases dipping by 3% :.. - @Lotus Eater

https://tradingeconomics.com/indonesia/motorbike-sales

Bike sales rise and fall. Your 3% dip is a fact, as is May's 24.3% rise.

Moreover the stockmarket is down 10%
- @Lotus Eater

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/busi … ction.html

True, as it is pretty much all over the world

and the Rupiah has weakened by about 7% against the greenback, a record low not reached since 1998... - @Lotus Eater

Also true, as is the list below.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-us … s-in-2024/

The above figures do not relate to the IDR since Prabowo took office. It is one of the world’s 10 weakest currencies in 2025 .

The weakest in south east Asia.

The above figures do not relate to the IDR since Prabowo took office. It is one of the world’s 10 weakest currencies in 2025 .
The weakest in south east Asia. - @Lotus Eater

Would you be kind enough to show your source, please?

@Fred

Wise

Given Indonesia is moving towards trade with China and the USD is on its last legs, why does the USD rate actually matter?

@Fred

Perhaps because 80% of world trade is denominated in US$.

For example fuel. Indonesia is a net importer of oil. Oil is priced in greenbacks.

You live and learn Fred🙄

@Fred
Perhaps because 80% of world trade is denominated in US$.
For example fuel. Indonesia is a net importer of oil. Oil is priced in greenbacks.
You live and learn Fred🙄 - @Lotus Eater

Perhaps you are a little out of date.

I gather the USD is used for about 54% of world trade at the moment, and many big oil producing countries are far from 100% Dollar trades.

Saudi

Russia

Iran

Read more

https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfi … 7-27_Fuels

The USD is more of an option than anything else.

@Fred

why does the USD rate actually matter?

Even at 50% it matters. The US $ represents 88% of foreign exchange transactions so your above statement is erroneous at best and ignorant at worst.

@Fred
why does the USD rate actually matter?
Even at 50% it matters. The US $ represents 88% of foreign exchange transactions so your above statement is erroneous at best and ignorant at worst. - @Lotus Eater

It does, but not as much as it would matter at 80%.

However, the Dollar is in serious trouble (has been for years), so it's just a matter of time before it's just a memory.

A number of people deny the above, but tell that to the Romans, British, and every other empire of every sort - they will disagree.

Britain started to lose its grip when the Germans built up a massive naval power in the early 1900s, but the decline was slow - The bulk not really leaving until India, Malaysia, and others left post WWII. It was a 50+ year timeline.

The big difference is speed of communications. That will speed up the demise of the current top dog, and the next when their time comes.

It simply doesn't matter about patriotic whatever, it's just a case of how many people hate you.

The more hate and distrust, the faster the process. The faster that dislike tiktoks its way around the world, the more people want to be rid of the beast.

I don't have any social media, but I keep being shown a lot from around the world - and the US is pretty well hated.

That empire is a dead duck, as the next one will be when they mess up and upset enough people.

I give the US five years, ten at a push before it collapses under its debt, or nobody will trade with them. If they attack Iran, maybe less.

Then the Dollar won't matter at all.

@Fred

I was not looking for a history lesson or a prognosis. Its the here and now that matters to Joe Public in Indonesia. The economy under the new president has slowed and Indonesians standard of living has dropped vis a vis comparable economies.

The best place for military men is out of politics as has been illustrated by historical precedent.

@Fred
I was not looking for a history lesson or a prognosis. Its the here and now that matters to Joe Public in Indonesia. The economy under the new president has slowed and Indonesians standard of living has dropped vis a vis comparable economies.
The best place for military men is out of politics as has been illustrated by historical precedent. - @Lotus Eater

There's clearly an issue, but what is the actual problem, and how big is it?

Six months isn't enough to say it's new, non-radical policies that are causing a decline (or boost) to an economy, especially in the uncertain world we have at the moment.

Prabowo being ex-military doesn't mean he's bad, especially when we see the changes in him over his time in Jokowi's government.

I guarantee you he will make mistakes (the saying here is that only Allah is perfect) but we will have to see how things go.

I can see the old racism against the Chinese that was so common here is disappearing at street level - tell me that getting rid of racism is a bad thing.

I can see infrastructure investment, from China,  Japan, and other countries rebuilding the old and creating the new.

Local and intercity journeys that were a dirty, messy, long slog are now quick and easy because the toll roads, train upgrades, and the MRT has totally changed transport. jokowi started this, but the new government has continued the approach. The new MRT that will allow easy access between North Jakarta and BSD is being built as we speak, as are yet more toll roads that are literally changing lives, and lowering transport costs for businesses.

International investment in a number of industries is increasing at a rapid rate, and that's brought jobs to poverty stricken areas.

Time will tell, but the odd blip that is amplified by some in the press is not even close to enough to condemn such a young government.