Young Lieutenant Prasad was headed
for Mumbai after his Engineering Specialization Course at the Naval Engineering
Base. He had been posted onboard the mighty Aircraft Carrier of the Indian Navy
called INS Vikrant. At the end of course party, Prasad had received kind pearls
of wisdom from the Training Captain. The Training Captain had a flowing white
beard and spoke with passion to Prasad. After all, he had also been a young
Engineer onboard the same ship. “Do not let the machines catch Rust, Prasad”,
was his final advice to the young Naval Engineer. The day moved on and Prasad
was now excitedly looking forward to joining the mighty Carrier.
The taxi drove inside the historic Lion Gate
of the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai and soon stopped at the check post of the Vikrant
Jetty. The crisp salute from the Sentry and Lieutenant Prasad commenced his
walk up the gangway of the Indian Navy’s pride. A ship of the majestic class- Vikrant’s
keel (backbone) was manufactured in Nov 43. That’s right, during WWII. When the
war got over, in May 45, she was 75% complete. She was then launched (into
water) by Sep 45, but not commissioned as she was no longer needed.
And there she lay, a forlorn hull tied alongside at River Tyne, until India
evinced interest in having an Aircraft Carrier (in Jan 57!) for our fledgling
Navy. The yard workers at Belfast finally had some work on their hands. They
put their skills into improving and completing the leviathan, whose blueprints
were 15 years old. Finally in Mar 61, she was commissioned as INS Vikrant. When
Prasad walked up the gangway, she was entering into her last Commission and her
name Vikrant was embossed all over the Indian Navy. Many a new born of that era
proudly shared the mighty ship’s name as it was her unique honour to become the
first floating airport of the India. “So?” She was not a ‘second hand’ ship as
some believed. Oh no Siree! She was first rate- the Indian Navy’s pride. She
remained so, even after INS Viraat came on the scene.
Lieutenant Prasad
had a spring in his walk as he crossed a mile inside the alleyways of the
Carrier to present his credentials to the Engineering Officer and the
Commanding Officer. The firm handshake began the bonhomie and the Ship’s
Captain welcomed him to the Carrier. A great deal belongs onboard a Carrier to
the Engineers- both Electrical and Mechanical. In spite of her age, INS Vikrant was
living only for the punch she was still capable of delivering- ‘from the air’.
She could carry 18-20 planes and helicopters. The Sea Harrier ‘Jumpjets’ were
jet fighters capable of extending the fleet’s opeartions envelope. The Sea King
Anti-Submarine Helicopters, were force multipliers in their anti-shipping role
also. The small Chetak Helicopters were workhorses when it came to small hops
of personnel and ‘Search And Rescue’ or SAR. This was force projection in it’s
rawest form. There were numerous ‘SPRINGEX’ (anti-surface) and ‘SMASHEX’
(anti-submarine) exercises that would be conducted ‘somewhere in the Arabian
Sea. INS Vikrant would have Destroyers, Frigates and Patrol vessels in a
formation around her, with submarines, and IAF strike aircraft against her. She
was the ‘Blue force’ and sometimes the ‘Red force’. At all times, SHE was the
straight flush or the prize target - depending on which side you were. “That’s
what you get, when you are the Prima Donna, the spotlight is always on you”,
was the parting dialogue of the Carrier’s Commanding Officer to young Prasad.
The challenge was to keep the machines of the Carrier- Rust Free.
Rust is another name for iron oxide, which occurs when iron or an alloy that contains iron,
like steel, is exposed to oxygen and
moisture for a long period of time. Over time, the oxygen combines with the
metal at an atomic level, forming a new compound called an oxide and weakening
the bonds of the metal itself. Although some people refer to rust generally as
"oxidation," that term is much more general; although rust
forms when iron undergoes oxidation, not all oxidation forms rust. Only iron or
alloys that contain iron can rust, but other metals can corrode in similar
ways. The main catalyst for the rusting process is water. Iron or steel
structures might appear to be solid, but water molecules can penetrate the
microscopic pits and cracks in any exposed metal. The hydrogen atoms present in water molecules can combine with other
elements to form acids, which will eventually cause more metal to be exposed. On
board any moving vehicle, the Rust becomes the biggest enemy of its eventual
efficiency. If the rust can be kept at its bay, the moving machineries do
perform to their optimal efficiency. A similar phenomenon happens in the humans
too. Part of the metabolic process in all cells
generates a certain number of free radicals: substances with a strong tendency
to tightly bind to other molecules in ways that corrupt or destroy them. Most
of these free radicals contain oxygen, a highly reactive element the body uses
to make energy. Once a molecule has been oxidized, the damage steadily spreads
as unpaired electrons snag and corrupt other proteins. Research suggests that
oxidation may be the major force behind aging.
The last Commission had begun and
Carrier had to sail out. 24 hrs prior to the sailing, the boilers had to light
up. As the fuel burned and gave off heat, steam was produced. The steam valves
overhead would then be ‘slightly cracked open’ and the entire steam piping
would be allowed to gradually be filled with steam and heat up. One by one, the
thin drain tubes emanating from the overhead steam pipes, would be opened, to
let out water that had condensed from the previous sailing. The engine room
would look like ‘Dante’s inferno’ with hot water and clouds of steam billowing
from the drains. The duty personnel, not to waste anything, would then take an
Aluminium Kettle with milk powder, sugar and tea in it and make expresso tea! After sipping the first
cuppa’, all four boilers would be ‘connected up’ to stabilise, and the rest of
the equipment would be started. Young Prasad was amidst the thick of the
action.
All engineers had their hands full,
coaxing output from the 04 decades old systems on board. Majority of the
systems and equipment were on the 4th deck and below. Only the
Flight Deck hydraulics was on the 2nd deck. Most personnel were
oblivious to the fascinating actions that were going on board and outside the
carrier. Prasad’s duties were taking him to every nook and cranny of the vast
carrier. So he was lucky enough to interact with each section and have a ‘bird’s
eye view’ of what they were up to. Each one was concentrating on HIS
‘part of ship’.
Prasad used to give a deprecating
snicker whenever he heard the phrase ‘Clean and brasso every inch of your
part of ship’. His FFO tanks, Diesel tanks, water tight compartments, pumps,
fuel lines, fire spray lines, compartment flooding lines, were dispersed all
throughout the 700 foot ship. On 12 decks and 16 sections of the mighty
carrier! The whole ship was now his ‘part of the ship’. He could see
where the Rust began and he had to counter its origin to keep the mighty
propellers to move the behemoth called Vikrant.
The last Commission of the Ship is
as nostalgic as its First Commission. Mighty Vikrant had received orders for its
one last sailing. All over the floating airport, the personnel had come on
board and taken their ‘watch stations’. There were Air Handlers, Cooks, Divers,
Engineering Mechanics, Electrical Mechanics, Navigators, Gunners, Pharmacists,
Radio Operators, Storekeepers, Shipwrights and Writers. One hour before, ‘Check
ship for Sea & Action’ on the main broadcast was sounded. One by one, the
guns, the communication sets, radars, the engines and ‘Main Switch Board’ were
tested- ‘Checked and found correct Sir’. INS Vikrant was now ready to set sail.
The activity now shifted to the harbour where other ships would also be taking
action. It was an emotional moment as the mighty Carrier waited one last time for
the Fleet ships to move out. The Minesweepers moved first, checking that the
channel was clear of threats, with their sonar gear and minesweeping cutters.
One by one, all the Destroyers and Frigates casted off, and moved outside
Mumbai Harbour and waited. INS Vikrant was the last to cast off, with a couple
of tugs standby to pull and push the leviathan. Crisp Naval salutes were being
exchanged and moist eyes from the Dockyard personnel bade farewell to the ship-
a Jewel in the Navy’s Fleet. Once she was outside Mumbai harbour, the fleet
ships formed a screen around her and the Fleet sailed to higher seas. The
machinery on-board each of these ships were gleaming and rust free.
Some 5 miles out at sea, the huge
‘Sea King’ Helicopters from the ‘Harpoon’ squadron landed on her flight deck-
while she was ‘facing into the wind’ to recover them. After recovery, the fleet
set course to Goa, where the Sea Harrier Jump jets, the ‘White tigers’ embarked
on the carrier. Mighty Vikrant was now battle ready for all exercises!
Well-oiled and greased, her boilers were churning out steam to keep the mission
powered up. Young Prasad, by now, was a backbone of the mighty Carrier’s Boiler
Room Department. His inquisitive spirit and lean physique helped him to reach
each and every nook and corner of the Engine Rooms. His vibrant team ensured
that the Ship met all its missions with élan and ease. Vikrant gave the Navy
the strength to sleep restfully and to dream. All throughout the sleepless
nights, with constant watches and duties, the rushed meals, the blaring of the
action alarm at odd times, Prasad always erupted into a quick smile as he heard
the roar of a plane taking off from the flight deck, and the vibration could be
felt right down to the fourth deck where he stood his ground.
Somehow, that bustling activity and
whine of engines on the flight deck made every bead of sweat, every missed
meal, and every lost minute of sleep- worth it. So for every ‘Ops time’, Prasad
had a simple saying “I’m loving it.” He had kept his Ship rust free and his
machines moved when he desired. Keeping the machinery rust free keeps the
humans in control of the proceedings. As the Carrier met the last sortie with
precision, Prasad wondered as to what will happen when the boilers are shut
down for one last time. Will rust take over this mighty platform and engulf it
into its chemistry’s eruptions? He knew that at the end of the sailing, he was
getting transferred to INS Viraat- the Second Aircraft Carrier of the Indian
Navy. The pains of maintaining a rust free environment paid dividends when
Vikrant took the centre stage in the Fleet formation. The greased overalls of
the engineering mechanics and their tools were all over on the testimonials of
Vikrant’s accomplishments at sea.
Vikrant turned inside the harbour and
shut down its boilers for the last time. The old warhorse was being devoid of
power as one by one its systems shut down never to power up again. She had
finally come to rest at the orders of her human masters. The life of mighty
Vikrant is something similar to a human’s life too. We end up getting powered
each day to accomplish life’s missions. The energy levels inside the humans
vary and adrenaline has to be pumped before a mission is met. The humans also
need to keep themselves rust free if they have to perform and achieve the aims.
The attitude of young Lieutenant Prasad is a helpful catalyst to keep the rust
at bay in human minds and physiology. Who does not have pains and glitches?
Mighty Vikrant had many, but it was human ingenuity which kept it going beyond
her age. If humans can do it for the machines, then they can do the same for
themselves too. Biology is more complicated than humans can anticipate. The
fight should be to keep the cells Rust free. After all, the life does not stop
even when the rust catches on, life is a beautiful game and continues even with
rust firmly in control of the human temple. All that humans need is to keep the
free radicals under check and fight the rust. Keep the Rust at bay, fight on
and let the mind and body be in coordination. Let the young Lieutenant Prasad attitude
in you keep charging at life and keep rust at bay. Do not forget, Rust- Is the
Beginning of a New Life. Recollect for
every ‘Ops time’, Prasad had a simple saying “I’m loving it”. Keep the sleeves
rolled up and keep loving every moment of life till the Master decides otherwise.
Cheers to life, with or without rust- let us face it and enjoy its music. So,
will you shed the Rust?
