ABFC Cape York, sister ship of Cape Inscription, at Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia in December 2020 | |
History | |
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Australia | |
Namesake | Cape Inscription |
Builder | Austal, Henderson, Western Australia |
Commissioned | May 2017 |
Homeport | HMAS Cairns |
Identification |
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General characteristics | |
Class and type | Cape-class patrol boat |
Length | 58.1 m (190 ft 7 in) |
Beam | 10.6 m (34 ft 9 in) |
Draught | 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in) |
Propulsion | 2 x Caterpillar 3516C diesels 6,770 horsepower (5,050 kW) 2 shafts, 1 bow thruster |
Speed | 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) |
Range | 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
Complement | 25 standard, 32 maximum |
Armament | 2 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns |
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Inscription, named after Cape Inscription in Western Australia, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). [1]
The ship is the second of two Cape-class patrol boats to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy, the first having been the Cape Fourcroy. The ship was built by Austal in Henderson, Western Australia, commissioned in May 2017 and based at HMAS Cairns in Queensland. [1]
Austal was originally awarded a $350 million contract to construct eight Cape-class patrol boats for the Australian Border Force to replace the Bay-class patrol boats in 2011, with the eight boats delivered between 2013 and 2015. A $63 million contract for two more boats, for lease by the RAN, was awarded to Austal by the National Australia Bank in December 2015. [1] Subsequently, the RAN ordered another eight Evolved Cape-class patrol boats from Austal. [2] [3] Unlike the later eight boats, which are in a grey colour scheme, Cape Inscription and Cape Fourcroy are in the blue and white colour scheme of the eight Australian Border Force vessels, but without the red stripe. [4]
The Armidale class is a class of patrol boats built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for a class of vessels to replace the fifteen Fremantle-class patrol boats began in 1993 as a joint project with the Royal Malaysian Navy, but was cancelled when Malaysia pulled out of the process. The project was reopened in 1999 under the designation SEA 1444, with the RAN as the sole participant. Of the seven proposals tendered, the Austal/Defence Maritime Services (DMS) proposal for twelve vessels based on an enlarged Bay-class patrol boat was selected. Two additional boats were ordered in 2005 to provide a dedicated patrol force for the North West Shelf Venture.
HMAS Cairns is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base located adjacent to the Trinity Inlet on the shore of Trinity Bay in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Although used regularly as a port-of-call since before World War II, a permanent RAN presence was not established until 1971, when a maintenance and support base for patrol boats was set up. The base was formally commissioned in 1971 as a minor war vessel base. The current commander of the base is Commander David Hannah, RAN.
The Australian Patrol Boat Group is a Force Element Group (FEG) of the Royal Australian Navy. It manages the Navy's patrol boats.
The Marine Unit, formerly the Australian Customs Service National Marine Unit, is a division of the Australian Border Force which acts as a Coast Guard in guarding Australia's coast. The Marine Unit focuses on surveillance and response activities within the Australian Economic Exclusion Zone, and the operation and training of ships and crews to do so.
Austal Limited is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels. Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed ferries, and supply or crew transfer vessels for offshore windfarms and oil and gas platforms.
The Cape class is a ship class of 22 large patrol boats operated by the Marine Unit of the Australian Border Force, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. Ordered in 2011, the vessels were built by Austal to replace Customs' Bay-class patrol boats, and entered service from 2013 onwards. Following availability issues with the Armidale class, two vessels were chartered by the RAN from mid-2015 to late 2016. A further two vessels were ordered at the end of 2015 by the National Australia Bank, who will charter the patrol boats to the Department of Defence from completion in 2017. 2 vessels were ordered by Trinidad and Tobago for their coast guard in 2018 with the vessels delivered in 2021. The RAN placed an order for six 'Evolved' Cape-class vessels in 2020, a second order in 2022 for an additional two vessels, and a third order in 2023 for a further two vessels.
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Peron, named after Cape Peron in Western Australia, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Otway, named after Cape Otway, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Naturaliste, named after Cape Naturaliste in Western Australia, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Capricorn, named after Cape Capricorn in Queensland, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Woolamai, named after Cape Woolamai in Victoria, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Pillar, named after Cape Pillar in Tasmania, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat under construction for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Cape Fourcroy, named after Cape Fourcroy in the Northern Territory, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
ABFC Cape Byron, named after Cape Byron in New South Wales, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.
ABFC Cape Nelson, named after Cape Nelson in Victoria, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.
ABFC Cape Jervis, named after Cape Jervis in South Australia, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.
ABFC Cape Leveque, named after Cape Leveque in Western Australia, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.
ABFC Cape Wessel, named after Cape Wessel in the Northern Territory, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.
ABFC Cape York, named after Cape York in Queensland, is a Cape-class patrol boat of the marine unit of the Australian Border Force.