HMS Brilliant (F90)

History of HMS Brilliant (F90)

The Type 22 Broadsword class frigates were created by the Royal Navy (RN) as a fleet of 14 ships and will be completed in three separate construction lots. These types played a vital role in the RN during the Cold War and eventually saw combat service against Argentina during the Falklands War (1982).

After their usefulness to the RN was exhausted, two hulls were used as targets, five were sold as scrap, and seven were sold to the navies of Brazil, Chile, and Romania. The last ship of the class - HMS Cornwall - was decommissioned in June 2011.

HMS Brilliant (F90) is the third ship of the first series after HMS Broadsword (F88) and HMS Battleaxe (F89). All first batches were built at Yarrow, Glasgow, Brilliant ordered on 7th September 1976 and laid on 25th March 1977.

She was launched on December 15, 1978, and officially commissioned on May 15, 1981.

Viewed from the side, Brilliant showcases a handcrafted look and many details. The superstructure forms a large part of her upper deck bulk structure, topped by a double mast approach - one forward, the other aft.

The bridge is placed forward in the usual way, facing the forecastle, and is characterized by large window areas on its front and sides. The smoke funnel is located amidships and the helicopter landing deck is above the stern.

She displaces 4,400 tons, is 430 feet long, has a beam of 48 feet, and has a draft of 20 feet. Her crew numbered 222.

The vessels performance is achieved by 2 Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B supercharged gas turbines (54,600 shp) and 2 Rolls-Royce Tyne RM1C cruise gas turbines (9,700 shp) in a COGOG arrangement, after The driver drives the 2 x axes. COGOG (Combined Gas and Gas) provides ships with two types of gas turbine operation, depending on whether cruising speed or short burst speeds are required.

This allows for a speed of 30 knots while cruising close to the 18 knot range.

Despite her commercial appearance, the HMS Brilliant was a combat frigate, equipped to deal with the dangers of Cold War naval warfare. These include 2 x 6 GWS25 series "Sea Wolf" surface-to-surface missile (SAM) launchers, 4 French "Flying Fish" surface-to-surface anti-ship (AS) missiles and 2 x 40mm Bofors air defense (AA) missiles. ) gun.

Additional support comes in the form of 2 x Westland Lynx Mk. 8 series naval helicopters, which are primarily used in anti-submarine warfare and anti-ship operations.

A year after her introduction, HMS Brilliant was ordered into the South Atlantic as part of the main British task force in response to the Argentine invasion of the Falklands. Once at the station, she became the first Royal Navy ship to fire the BAC/BAe surface-to-air missile Seawolf, successfully shooting down three predatory Argentine Douglas A-4 Skyhawk multirole fighter jets. She also used her two-man naval helicopter fleet to attempt to attack the Argentine Navy attack submarine ARA Santa Fe (S-21), but failed (the Santa Fe was eventually overtaken and sank in shallow water in April 1982).

British). On May 25, she helped rescue members of the British merchant ship HMS Atlantic Conveyor after an Argentine "Flying Fish" anti-ship missile attack. The war ended on 14 June 1982 with the British victory and continued control of the Falkland Islands.

Their only war scar was the May 23 attack by Argentine aircraft, which opened fire on them with minimal damage.

HMS Brilliant served in the Royal Navy until the mid-1990s, when she was decommissioned and sold to the Brazilian Navy in 1996. She continued to sail under the Brazilian Navy flag under the name "Dodsworth" (F47) for some time until her stripped hull was officially decommissioned and sold to Turkey for scrap.

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