Indonesia, Singapore to initiate new maritime surveillance system

According to Radio Australia:

Indonesia and Singapore will launch a surveillance radar system later this week in a bid to boost waterways security in the Singapore Strait.

An Indonesian navy spokesman says the system will begin monitoring the narrow stretch of water on Friday.

He says the system aims to provide better security monitoring -- including the surveillance of potential pirate attacks in the Singapore Strait -- one of region's major shipping routes.

Since late February, at least eight pirate attacks on ships in the Malacca Strait and Singapore Strait have been recorded by the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre in Malaysia.

Of course the problem with any radar is picking out the right targets from the numerous blips that appear on the scope. But I wish them luck.