Austal announced on 4 May 2026 via an ASX disclosure that it has secured a A$150.3 million (about $99 million) contract extension to build two more Evolved Cape-class patrol boats for the Australian Border Force. The award tightens the Australian shipbuilder's grip on the agency's patrol fleet programme.
Under the contract, Austal Ships Pty Ltd will build Hulls 1105 and 1106 at its Henderson yard in Western Australia, lifting the number of Evolved Cape-class patrol boats ordered for the agency to six. The award comes after Austal delivered ADV Cape Hawke to the Royal Australian Navy in March 2026, the tenth vessel in the class handed over to the navy.
Construction is well advanced on the first four boats already on order for the Australian Border Force. Since 2020, Austal has secured contracts to deliver 16 Evolved Cape-class patrol boats across the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Border Force, reinforcing its position in Australia's naval shipbuilding supply chain.
The Evolved Cape-class platform offers extended range, endurance and crew accommodation for sustained patrol operations. The Henderson yard is a strategic defence-industry hub for Western Australia, and stable government spending on border security has provided Austal with mid-term production visibility.
The extension underlines steady demand in the patrol-boat segment of the global naval supply chain. Canberra's strategy of preserving sovereign shipbuilding capacity to underpin Pacific security has continued in parallel with broader AUKUS-related investment in the country's maritime industrial base.
Key Takeaways:
1. Austal secured an A$150.3 million ($99M) two-vessel contract extension from the Australian Border Force.
2. Hulls 1105 and 1106 will be Evolved Cape-class patrol boats built at the Henderson yard.
3. The award lifts the Border Force's order to six Evolved Cape-class boats.
4. Since 2020, Austal has been contracted to deliver 16 Evolved Cape-class boats across the Royal Australian Navy and Border Force.
5. ADV Cape Hawke was the tenth class vessel handed over to the Royal Australian Navy in March 2026.
