Australian shipbuilder Austal has shown off a sleigh of new models and concepts at last weeks Indo Pacific Maritime Exposition in Sydney. Underscoring the uncertainty over the future focus of the Royal Australian Navy, the company presented these solutions for quick realisation and concepts applicable to both Australian and global requirements in the longer term. Furthermore the product range shown through models and digital presentations included corvettes, light frigates, multimission support and logistics concepts. Notable here is Austal’s “Lethal Cape”, an evolution of the company’s existing Cape- and “Evolved” Cape-class offshore patrol vessels in service with the Australian Border Force and the Australian Navy.
Missiles, autocannon and enhanced self-defence for “Cape”
The “Lethal Cape”-variant distinguishes itself by mounting a quadruple launcher for NSM Antiship-missiles on the stern and a naval gun in the 30 mm-range mounted on a Remote Weapon Station (RWS) on the foredeck. Furthermore the graphics include MASS decoy launching systems ahead of the bridge, although the physical model displayed lacked this feature. “Lethal Cape” does not seem to include any modifications to the sensor suite. The lack may imply target acquisition and initial guidance for any longer ranged missiles by means not organic to the concept itself, such as airborne drones or other separate systems.
“Lethal Cape” seen as good fit for Tier 2 by Austal CEO
When interviewed by Naval News on the “Lethal Cape”, Austal CEO Paddy Gregg was empathetic on the design matching RAN-requirements under the currently discussed “Tier 2”-moniker: “Absolutely. This fits very nicely inside the Tier 2-requirement. A specialist ship that can perform a number of roles. It could be a normal patrol boat looking for illegal fishing or protecting the borders close to Australia. Or if we needed it to have firepower and capability and be able to fight, it could be very quickly and easily reconfigured to be able to undertake that dual role. To make it a very efficient and affordable ship for the Navy.”
Possibility of upgrading existing boats or building new
Asked by Naval News whether this means Austal can upgrade in-service Capes to the new standard or if the builder would construct additional hulls, Gregg confirmed both options are feasible: “We’re very happy to work with Navy, to understand their requirements and then be able to either build new. We have a hot production line at the minute. (…) But if they wanted to retrofit this to existing boats, absolutely we could support them and do that.”
Commissioned RAN Cape-class present at Indopacific exposition
Considering how other manufacturers at Indopacific 2023 showed considerably larger corvette- or frigate-like concepts to meet “Tier 2”, this proposal including retrofitting of in-service boats may illustrate continued opacity over the actual operational priorities for the RAN and the ultimate outcome of the Surface Combatant Review. Incidentally the RAN also brought a commissioned Cape-class corvette, the Cape Peron to Indo Pacific 2023, in berth at Darling Harbor, demonstrating this type of capability.
