1. Actually before pompom island between malaysia/Philippine border have clear sea line, there place is best place to detect before indruder cross to our small island. also already have some quantity patrol boat at that area, at nigh should enough provide 2-3 patrol with radar to scan the sea.
2. correct the boat is small, but means it undetected, it small still can detected with in 5-6km from small marine radar. not mention biger patrol boat can detech it around 10-15km。 also coastal radar too far from border sure hard to detect intruders small boat, unless we built outpost near border.
3. base on my view patrol boat photo at ESSCOM, i found some already have small marine radar, some only have GPS, like CB90 full with marine radar. so i can see small not issue, is our patrol boat should include with small marine radar.
4. Nowdays even RHIB, small patrol boat also have shot range radar and GPS use for patrol use. ship will run navigation radar 24h, it will scan sea surface, also to avoid other ship or object, only air surveillance radar will run/off base on requirement.
Furuno radar on top on some esscom patrol boat
new boat for esscom also got radar
sometimes it is not as easy as you think.
The underlining problem is on the number of boat and asset is not enough to cover the entire ccoastline.
thus you have huge time lags on response times.
those terrorist will always test our security coverage and if they find loophole on security they will strike.
Given our limited assets we will be very disadvantaged to secure our coastline.