Austal Celebrate Second Cape Class Launch

Austal is pleased to announce the launch of the second in series Cape Class Patrol Boat (CCPB) during a ceremony at the company’s Australian Defence Facility in Henderson Western Australia on January 7th 2014. Exactly 1 year to the day after launching Cape st George, Cape Byron was launched some 4 weeks ahead of schedule.

Cape Byron is the second of eight 56-metre patrol boats that are being delivered to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACPBS) by Austal as Prime Contractor for the design, build and in service sustainment contract valued at approximately $330 million. A contract in which Austal is also using its in-house expertise to develop and integrate sophisticated electronic systems for command, control and communication.

The ceremony marked the first time the boat has been lowered into the water. Following maritime tradition, specially minted coins were placed under the keel block of the vessel as a symbol of good fortune on 25th January 2013. These were removed prior to the launch and will be presented to the boat, ACPBS and Austal at a later date. The boat was then lowered into the water using Austal’s slipway facility.

With the vessel in the water, Austal is on target to achieve full vessel completion and sea trials prior to an official naming ceremony and final delivery to Customs and Border Protection in Qtr 2 2014.

Austal President and General Manager Mr Graham Backhouse said, “This special milestone represents a significant achievement by many people from both Commonwealth and Industry who have come together to work as a high performing collaborative team to make this possible. Cape Byron is a state of the art Maritime defence capability that will play a significant role in Operation Sovereign Borders, i.e. protecting Australia’s borders from multiple maritime threats, and has been designed to have greater range, endurance and flexibility, as well as enhanced capability to operate in more severe sea conditions and across longer range than the current Customs and Border Protection and indeed Royal Australian Navy Patrol Boat fleet.

Cape Byron’s launch represents the start of another busy year (2014) for our Australian Defence Facility in Henderson with her being the first of five Cape Class launches and three deliveries scheduled for this year. The overall program continues to be on schedule with full workforce levels increasing by over 100 in recent months to be on target for full production Qtr 2 2014. A workforce that we believe positions Austal well to provide additional state of the art Maritime defence capability to the Commonwealth of Australia either through more Cape Class vessels or indeed as an early replacement of the current Armidale Class Patrol Boats”.

Cape Class is a program of work that underpins Austal’s strategy as a global defence prime contractor of Ships, Systems and Support. It’s a program that has also enabled Austal to reposition and strengthen the Henderson facilities as a defence-focused operation. Along with key intermediate and deep level sustainment activities being performed in Henderson on both Cape and Armidale Class vessels, this total solution capability represents the future of the Australian business as Austal continues to expand and enhance the strategic industry capability necessary to meet the current and future defence needs of Australia and other nations.

Apart from the Cape Class Patrol Boats, Austal is prime contractor for two major defence projects – the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) – for the United States Navy.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Austal was awarded the contract for the design, construction and through-life support of the Cape Class patrol boats for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service in August 2011. The eight 58 metre aluminium monohulls are due to be delivered between March 2013 and August 2015.

The support contract extends for a minimum period of eight years and encompasses a full range of intermediate and depot level maintenance activities. Further options can be exercised by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service for In-Service Support for the life of the Cape Class Patrol Boat Fleet.

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

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

The Cape Class Patrol Boats will be able to:

• Undertake 28 day patrols;
• Sail 4,000 nautical miles before having to refuel;
• Combat the full range of maritime security threats;
• Carry an increased crew to more effectively and safely manage boarding operations;
• Identify, track and intercept an extended range of threats in the maritime domain and gather intelligence and store evidence for matters that may proceed to the courts; and
• Launch two Tender Response Vessels simultaneously.

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

They may be used to:

• Counter people, drug and weapons smuggling;
• Apprehend foreign fishing vessels;
• Gather information and intelligence;
• Monitor environmental pollution; and
• Assist management of offshore nature reserves and marine parks.