ADV Cape Naturaliste

	ADV Cape Naturaliste at Austal shipyards in Henderson, Western Australia in July 2022
History
Australia
Namesake	Cape Naturaliste
Builder	Austal, Henderson, Western Australia
Commissioned	4 November 2022
Homeport	HMAS Coonawarra
Identification	IMO number: 4764094; MMSI number: 503103000; Callsign: VKBR; Pennant number: 316;
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 hp (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 Naturaliste, named after Cape Naturaliste in Western Australia, is an evolved Cape-class patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).^[1]^[2]^[3]

The ship is the third of ten evolved Cape-class patrol boats to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy. Prior to Cape Naturaliste, the RAN already operated the Cape-class patrol boats Cape Fourcroy and Cape Inscription as well as the evolved Cape-class patrol boats Cape Otway and Cape Peron.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The ship was built by Austal in Henderson, Western Australia, accepted on 4 November 2022 and based at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin, Northern Territory. Cape Naturaliste was officially welcomed in Darwin in June 2023, alongside her sister ship Cape Capricorn, becoming the first evolved Cape-class patrol boats to be based there. The patrol boat's primary duty lies in fisheries protection, immigration, customs and drug law enforcement operations.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The ship is one of the original six evolved Cape-class patrol boats the RAN ordered in April 2020 to replace the Armidale-class patrol boats in this role, at a projected cost of A$324 million. This order was subsequently expanded by another two boats in April 2022, at an additional projected cost of $124 million.^[4] In November 2023, the RAN ordered a further two evolved Cape-class patrols, at a cost of A$157.1 million.^[5]

On 12 December 2024, the Cape Naturaliste will be commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "RAN officially accepts third ECCPB ADV Cape Naturaliste". Naval Technology. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "New vessel on the home stretch". www.defence.gov.au. Australian Government. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "New patrol boats welcomed to homeport". www.contactairlandandsea.com. Contact Publishing. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
^ "Evolved Cape-Class Patrol Boats, Australia". Naval Technology. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
^ "Securing continuous Naval Shipbuilding at Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia". Australian Defence Ministry. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
^ "Royal Australian Navy will commission HMA Ships Cape Pillar, Cape Naturaliste, Cape Woolamai and Cape Capricorn". Facebook. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 28 November 2024.

External links

[Navaltechnology-1] "RAN officially accepts third ECCPB ADV Cape Naturaliste". Naval Technology. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.

[Stretch-2] "New vessel on the home stretch". www.defence.gov.au. Australian Government. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.

[Homeport-3] "New patrol boats welcomed to homeport". www.contactairlandandsea.com. Contact Publishing. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.

[4] "Evolved Cape-Class Patrol Boats, Australia". Naval Technology. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.

[5] "Securing continuous Naval Shipbuilding at Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia". Australian Defence Ministry. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.

[6] "Royal Australian Navy will commission HMA Ships Cape Pillar, Cape Naturaliste, Cape Woolamai and Cape Capricorn". Facebook. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 28 November 2024.

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