Austal Australia has handed over the future HMAS Cape Spencer, the ninth Evolved Cape-class patrol boat ordered from Austal by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
The aluminium monohulled newbuild has an LOA of 57.8 metres, a beam of 10.3 metres, a draught of approximately three metres, and accommodation for 32 crewmembers and other personnel.
Austal said the Evolved Capes were built with a number of enhancements over the baseline Cape-class patrol boats, improving operational capability and crew capacity compared to the vessels already operated by the navy and Australian Border Force.
Like their baseline Cape-class sisters, the Evolved Cape-class boats were built for sustained operations lasting a maximum of 28 days or covering a range of 4,000 nautical miles in conditions up to Sea State four. They also retain the baseline Cape-class boats' standard armament of two pintle-mounted 12.7mm machine guns.
With the delivery of the future Cape Spencer, one Evolved Cape-class boat remains under construction for the RAN, while two more Evolved Cape-class boats are also under construction for the Australian Border Force at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.
Editor's note: Cape Spencer was originally slated to carry the ADV (Australian Defence Vessel) prefix. Like her newer sisters, she will instead be commissioned into RAN service as a warship with the HMAS prefix.
