The six new Cape-class patrol boats will extend the fleet of ten ships currently operated by the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy around Australia (Image: ADV Cape Inscription operating with the RAN)

NavyRecognition reports,

Austal Limited is pleased to announce that Austal Australia has been awarded an A$324 million contract to design and construct six evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (CCPBs) for the Royal Australian Navy.

These “Cape Class” patrol vessels are a bit unusual in size, slotting between typical “inshore” and “offshore” patrol vessels. We talked about this class when Trinidad and Tobago ordered two of them.

This is the information we had on the class earlier, compared to the Webber class.

• Displacement about twice as large: 700 tons vice 353
• Length: 57.8 m (190 ft) vice 46.8 m (154 ft)
• Beam: 10.3 m (34 ft) vice 8.11 m (26.6 ft)
• Draft: 3 m (9.8 ft) vice 2.9 m (9.5 ft)
• HP, less: 6,772 vice 11,600
• Speed, slower: 25 vice 28
• Crew, smaller: 18 vice 24
• Boats: two on davits vice one in stern ramp
• Range: greater, 4000 vice 2500 nautical miles
• Endurance: greater, 28 vice 5 days

These new ships will have some upgrades including accommodation for 32.

I was a little surprised by this procurement. Not too long ago, Australian Navy’s patrol force consisted of only thirteen 300 ton Armidale class patrol boats. These are being replaced by twelve 80 meter OPVs. None of these larger vessels have been completed so far. In the interim they leased two of these Cape Class. Now they are getting six more, improved versions. Presumably they will retain these even after the larger OPVs are completed, giving them 20 vessels.