On 27 February, Austal handed over the tenth and final Evolved Cape-class patrol boat, ADV Cape Hawke, to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at Henderson, Western Australia. This milestone marked completion of Project Sea 1445 Phase 1, which was originally launched in May 2020.
Austal delivered the vessels at a steady rate of one every six months, underscoring the maturity of its Henderson production line.
The 58m-long aluminium monohull ECCPBs are an evolution of the original Cape-class patrol boats built for the Australian Border Force (ABF).
The RAN’s variants incorporate berths for 32 crew and embarked personnel, alongside upgraded quality-of-life features, as well as enhanced sustainment intelligence systems intended to improve availability and lifecycle management.
According to Austal data, the vessels are powered by two Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines driving twin propellers, enabling speeds of up to 25kt. At an economical speed of 12kt, the boats have a range of approximately 4,000nm. While not fitted with heavy weaponry, they are armed with two 12.7mm machine guns mounted port and starboard.
Australia’s Department of Defence said the boats will operate alongside Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) to bolster national maritime security, border protection and constabulary missions.
Austal’s original contract covered six vessels, but it was expanded by two additional boats in April 2022, and a further pair in February 2024, as a response to evolving operational requirements.
Two more Cape-class vessels are also under construction for the ABF, ensuring continued fleet commonality across the agencies.
Australia is continuing to build its six-ship Arafura-class OPV fleet. Four vessels remain under construction by Civmec, while two have already been delivered and one fully commissioned to date.
The ECCPBs are expected to provide an operational bridge as the OPVs progressively enter service.
Australia’s patrol vessel recapitalisation forms part of Operation Sovereign Borders, a whole-of-government initiative launched in 2013 aimed at preventing illegal maritime arrivals and combating people smuggling.
The operation also strengthens Australia’s persistent maritime domain awareness across its vast northern approaches.
by Chen Chuanren
