Although Austal USA is exploring its options after losing out on the FFG(X) project of the U.S. Navy, Austal Australia was awarded a A$ 324 million contract to design and develop six developed Cape Class Patrol Boats (CCPBs) for the Royal Australian Navy.

The six new vessels to be built at Austal's Henderson shipyard in Western Australia will add to the current fleet of two CCPBs delivered by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 2017 and expand the Cape Class Patrol Boat program of Austal to a total of 18 vessels. This includes eight Australian Border Force-operated patrol boats, and two more under construction.

Crew capacity has been expanded by 10 people, to now reach 32 and quality-of-life facilities have been strengthened, ensuring that all who run the new Capes have access to the outside world regardless of the operating setting.

Additional changes have been integrated into the current RAN Cape design, built during the design and construction of two Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard Cape Class patrol boats; an export deal awarded on 16 August 2019 and won with strong support from the Australian Government and Export Finance Australia.

Austal Chief Executive David Singleton said the new contract also reaffirmed the Cape class as Australia's pre-eminent patrol boat platform and reflected the Australian Government's strong commitment to improving Australia's sovereign shipbuilding industry.

Maritime Business World