'... To ensure that the vast Indian Ocean Region remain peaceful.'
Rear Admiral K Mohanan (retd) flew on board the INS Vikrant for a year after the war, after which he proceeded for a gunnery course.
Since he topped this course, the navy needed to give him a worthy and challenging job. Soon he found himself back on the INS Vikrant as a Gunnery Officer.
"My last stint on the ship was as Captain. The new and modern Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft -- the Sea Harrier -- was on board now with Sea King and Alouette helicopters; and we also had a new ski-jump for these fighters to operate," the rear admiral tells me.
By the end of his tenure, he was asked to ferry the INS Vikrant into the waters off Mumbai, after which the decommissioning took place a few years later.
"The feather in the older Vikrant's cap was the successful operations carried out over Chittagong and Cox's Bazar during the 1971 operations off the East coast in the Bay of Bengal," says Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta.
"The 'mother' as she was fondly called by those who flew from her deck, was given a fond farewell in 1987 and after much debate and deliberation for almost another 20 years on whether to convert her to a museum or to scrap her, she finally headed to the ship-breakers at Alang," says the vice admiral.
The steel that made the ship was sold for about Rs 60 crores (Rs 600 million) and this was used to manufacture scooters by a reputed company later. Parts of our valiant Vikrant now ply on India's roads!
The brand new INS Vikrant, which the prime minister commissioned in Kochi today, September 2, 2022, is almost double the weight as its older namesake, albeit the technology, weapon systems and the aircraft which operate from the deck will be high tech and different.
Built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crores (Rs 200 billion), the INS Vikrant will have two squadrons of modern MiG-29 K fighters (36 aircraft) and Kamov 31 and MH-60 R helicopters.
A crew of about 1,600 men and women will be on board when she sets sail to ensure that all sub-systems work in unison and make the vessel a potent war-fighting platform.
The carrier will have 3 large galleys for the seamen, capable of automated production of food for 5,000 sailors at a time.
If you have to take a walk around the innards of the ship for a look, you would end up walking 8 kilometres!
"It has separate living areas for women officers and also a full-fledged hospital on board," says Rear Admiral Mohanan, who visited the ship almost a year ago before it sailed for its sea trials.
"The deck itself is the size of two football grounds, and there are 8 large generator sets on board to power all systems -- power that can light up a large town like Kochi! The systems on board are controlled and monitored with 2,400 kilometres of cabling which run through the insides of the ship," explains the rear admiral.
"Powered by two giant gas turbines unlike the steam turbines on the former Vikrant, it can do 28 knots (about 52 kmph) which is very good for a ship its size," he adds.
"The commissioning of the Vikrant is very significant," says Vice Admiral Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Fleet.
"Firstly, she catapults India into another league -- of a handful of countries that have the capability of building an aircraft carrier. A fine tribute to our Indian naval ship designers and a stamp of our design capability not just coming of age but acquiring a niche," says the vice admiral.
"Secondly, she is more than twice as large as her earlier avatar -- close to 45,000 tons, which gives it a far more potent capability."
"Thirdly, we have built her in very good time. From keel laying in 2009 to commissioning in 2022 is rather brisk going for a first carrier, by any standards. Much credit for this must go to Cochin Shipyard along with hundreds of other stakeholders," says Vice Admiral Dasgupta.
"Fourthly, she emphatically proves our capability to integrate aircraft and systems from across the world from Russian, Indian and American aircraft, Russian aviation complex, American gas turbines, Israeli weapons and radars, Indian electronic warfare equipment, gun mounts and a plethora of others."
"Fifthly, and most importantly, she tells a compelling story of competence, capability and confidence. She is truly the poster-girl of an aspirational and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'."
Rear Admiral Mohanan is super excited to be invited for the commissioning ceremony of the new Vikrant. "You see, most of what I have learnt in the navy has been due to the Vikrant! Having been the last operational captain of the ship makes me nostalgic and happy at the same time!" he says.
"When I had to choose a name for my bungalow which was to be my retirement home, I did not have to think twice; the only name that came to mind was Vikrant!" says the rear admiral. Each time he enters the gates of his home, the name board reminds him of the long and happy association with the aircraft carrier.
"India needs to have a total of 6 carriers like the Vikrant to ensure that the vast areas of the Indian Ocean Region remain peaceful -- two each on the eastern and western seaboards while two can be at rest in the docks or on maintenance," says Rear Admiral Mohanan.
"The navy provides strategic security to our country and the sooner we realise it, the better it will be for our progress!"
Air Commodore Nitin Sathe retired from the Indian Air Force in February 2020 after a distinguished 35 year career.
The author of three books, you can read Air Commodore Sathe's earlier articles here.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
