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HMS Brilliant (F90)
Encyclopedia
HMS Brilliant (F90) was a Type 22 frigate
of the Royal Navy
.
She was part of the Task Force that took part in the Falklands War
, with Captain John Coward in command. During the war her two helicopters were involved in attacking the Argentine
submarine Santa Fe, and she was the first Royal Navy warship to fire the Sea Wolf missile
in action when, on 12 May 1982, she shot down three A-4 Skyhawks. On 21 May HMS Brilliant came under Argentine air attack outside San Carlos Water and was slightly damaged by cannon fire. On 23 May she joined HMS Yarmouth
in the chase of the Argentinian supply ship ARA Monsunen
. She rescued 24 survivors from Atlantic Conveyor
on 25 May. Brilliant had sailed south with a pair of WE.177A nuclear depth charges onboard. To avoid complications arising from the Treaty of Tlatelolco
, these were unloaded to RFA Fort Austin on 16 April 1982.
Brilliant starred in a BBC
documentary series called HMS Brilliant in the early 1990s. In October 1990 she saw the first members of the Women's Royal Naval Service
to serve officially on an operational warship. She decommissioned in 1996 and was sold to the Brazilian Navy
on 31 August 1996 and renamed Dodsworth.
The silhouette of HMS Brilliant is painted, with the date 21 May, on the side of Argentine Air Force
IAI Finger
serial number C-412. Also painted on C-412 is the silhouette of HMS Arrow
and the date 1 May. These kill markings (without crossing) have to do with damage to both ships in the Falklands War, HMS Arrow being slightly damaged by cannon fire 1 May 1982 and HMS Brilliant also being slightly damaged by cannon fire on 21 May. Fingers markings were painted soon after the war; they were seen during the November 2005 multi-national Exercise Ceibo in Argentina, and still there .
Type 22 frigate
The Type 22 Broadsword class is a class of frigate built for the British Royal Navy. Fourteen of the class were built in total, with production divided into three batches. With the decommissioning of HMS Cornwall on 30 June 2011, the final Type 22 of the Royal Navy was retired from service...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
She was part of the Task Force that took part in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, with Captain John Coward in command. During the war her two helicopters were involved in attacking the Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
submarine Santa Fe, and she was the first Royal Navy warship to fire the Sea Wolf missile
Sea Wolf missile
Sea Wolf is a naval guided missile system designed and built by BAC, later to become British Aerospace Dynamics . It is an automated point-defence weapon system designed as a final line of defence against both sea-skimming and high angle anti-ship missiles and aircraft...
in action when, on 12 May 1982, she shot down three A-4 Skyhawks. On 21 May HMS Brilliant came under Argentine air attack outside San Carlos Water and was slightly damaged by cannon fire. On 23 May she joined HMS Yarmouth
HMS Yarmouth (F101)
HMS Yarmouth was the first Modified Type 12 frigate of the Rothesay class to enter service with the Royal Navy. From her commissioning in 1960, she performed in numerous roles, including the Third Cod War and the Falklands War....
in the chase of the Argentinian supply ship ARA Monsunen
Battle of Seal Cove
The Battle of Seal Cove was a minor naval action west of Lively Island, during the 1982 Falklands War. On May 22, 1982, while supporting Operation Sutton off San Carlos Bay, the British frigates HMS Brilliant and HMS Yarmouth received orders to stop and seize the Argentine armed coastal supply...
. She rescued 24 survivors from Atlantic Conveyor
Atlantic Conveyor
The Atlantic Conveyor was a British merchant navy ship, registered in Liverpool, that was requisitioned during the Falklands War and sunk on 25 May 1982 after being hit by two Argentine Exocet missiles, killing 12 sailors...
on 25 May. Brilliant had sailed south with a pair of WE.177A nuclear depth charges onboard. To avoid complications arising from the Treaty of Tlatelolco
Treaty of Tlatelolco
The Treaty of Tlatelolco is the conventional name given to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean...
, these were unloaded to RFA Fort Austin on 16 April 1982.
Brilliant starred in a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary series called HMS Brilliant in the early 1990s. In October 1990 she saw the first members of the Women's Royal Naval Service
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
to serve officially on an operational warship. She decommissioned in 1996 and was sold to the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
on 31 August 1996 and renamed Dodsworth.
The silhouette of HMS Brilliant is painted, with the date 21 May, on the side of Argentine Air Force
Argentine Air Force
The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
IAI Finger
IAI Nesher
The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher is the Israeli version of the Dassault Mirage 5 multi-role fighter aircraft...
serial number C-412. Also painted on C-412 is the silhouette of HMS Arrow
HMS Arrow (F173)
HMS Arrow was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, she was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position.-Falklands War service:...
and the date 1 May. These kill markings (without crossing) have to do with damage to both ships in the Falklands War, HMS Arrow being slightly damaged by cannon fire 1 May 1982 and HMS Brilliant also being slightly damaged by cannon fire on 21 May. Fingers markings were painted soon after the war; they were seen during the November 2005 multi-national Exercise Ceibo in Argentina, and still there .