Austal awarded contract to supply Australia with 2 more Evolved Cape class patrol boats.

According to a PR published by Austal on February 22, 2024, the firm has announced a significant contract award to its Australian division for the construction of two additional Evolved Cape-class patrol boats.
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Evolved Cape-class patrol boats. (Picture source: Austal)

This A$157 million contract extension, announced by the Commonwealth of Australia on November 23, 2023, increases the total Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats provided under the SEA1445-1 Project to ten.

The Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats are pivotal for the Navy's operations in Northern Australia, significantly enhancing maritime surveillance and border patrol efforts, particularly under the Operation Sovereign Borders mission.

The SEA1445-1 project initially involved the construction of six 58-metre aluminium monohull patrol boats, with the contract later expanded to include two more vessels in April 2022.

The delivery of the first five boats—Cape Otway, Cape Peron, Cape Naturaliste, Cape Capricorn, and Cape Woolamai—was completed within an eighteen-month window starting from March 2022. Following the delivery of the sixth vessel, Cape Pillar, in October 2023, two additional boats are currently under construction.

These advanced patrol boats are designed to accommodate up to 32 personnel, featuring enhanced living conditions and state-of-the-art sustainment intelligence systems to augment the Navy’s maritime combat capabilities. They serve a broad spectrum of constabulary and naval missions.

Austal Australia also provides in-service support for the Cape, Evolved Cape, and Guardian-class Patrol Boat fleets, operated by the Australian Border Force, Royal Australian Navy, and Pacific Island nations, through its service centres in Henderson, Cairns, and Darwin. Additionally, under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1), Austal Australia is tasked with delivering 22 steel-hulled Guardian-class Patrol Boats to the Commonwealth, having delivered 18 vessels since 2018.