Navy

Australian Patrol

Austal Limited is pleased to announce it has delivered Cape York the final of eight Cape Class Patrol Boats supplied to Australian Border Force (formerly Australian Customs and Border Protection) under a $330 million design, build and in-service support contract.

The Cape Class Patrol Boats will have greater range, endurance and flexibility in responding to maritime security threats than the current fleet
The Cape Class Patrol Boats will have greater range, endurance and flexibility in responding to maritime security threats than the current fleet

Austal Chief Executive Officer Andrew Bellamy said that with eight boats successfully delivered within the original timeframe, Austal has demonstrated its credentials as a partner of choice for government defence vessel programs and a world leader in patrol boat design, build and sustainment.

«The on-time and on-budget delivery of all eight Cape Class Patrol Boats is a credit to our highly skilled team at the Henderson shipyard, which has achieved valuable production efficiencies as the program progressed; clearly demonstrating the benefits of continuous shipbuilding and reinforcing Austal’s capability to successfully design, build and sustain multiple naval and border protection vessel programs. Austal has delivered one Cape Class Patrol vessel approximately every 10 weeks over 2014-2015; which has significantly increased Australian Border Force’s capability to reliably deliver on the Border Protection obligations it undertakes for the Commonwealth of Australia», Mr. Bellamy said. «Our national sustainment team, services and facilities continues to grow in line with the Cape Class Patrol Boats coming into service; ensuring the operational availability of the Australian Border Force fleet around the country».

As the sole provider of the Commonwealth’s border patrol capability for the past 17 years and as a successful exporter, Austal has now delivered a total of 72 patrol boats. The company has recently submitted a tender for the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Program, comprising 21 vessels for delivery to Pacific Island nations from 2017.

These vessels will also have enhanced capability to operate in higher sea states and survive in more severe conditions
These vessels will also have enhanced capability to operate in higher sea states and survive in more severe conditions

 

SPECIFICATIONS

PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Length overall 190.6 feet/58.1 m
Beam (overall) 35.4 feet/10.8 m
Draft (approximately) 10.2 feet/3.1 m
ACCOMMODATION
Crew 18
Facilities Holding areas equipped with Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) and facilities for accommodating intercepted illegal foreign fishers and suspected unauthorized people attempting to enter Australia
ARMAMENT
Weapons Two deck-mounted 12.7-mm/0.50 cal general purpose machine guns
COMMUNICATION & SENSORS
Communication system Secure/Non-secure voice and data over Very High Frequency (VHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF), Satellite Communications (SATCOM) and Sea Boat’s Situational Awareness
Navigation Integrated bridge system including Radars, 2 × Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS), 2 × Gyro Compass, Secure Automatic Identification System (AIS), 2 × Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), Electro-Optical Sensor System (EOSS) and Voyage Data Recorder (VDR)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Sea boats 2 × 24 feet/7.3 m Gemini
Motion control system Austal 2 × 35 feet2/3.25 m2 roll fins; 2 × 48.4 feet2/4.5 m2 trim flaps
PROPULSION
Main engines 2 × Caterpillar 3516C; 2 × 3,386 hp/2,525 kW @ 1,800 rpm
Gearboxes 2 × ZF 9055A
Propellers 2 × fixed pitch
Bow thruster HRP 2001 TT (160 kW)
PERFORMANCE
Speed 26 knots/30 mph/48 km/h
Range at 12 knots/14 mph/22 km/h 4,000 NM/4,603 miles/7,408 km

 

Customs and Border Protection patrol boats may be deployed according to aerial surveillance, community reports and/or radar sightings
Customs and Border Protection patrol boats may be deployed according to aerial surveillance, community reports and/or radar sightings