Ambuscade was launched on 18 January 1973 by Lady Griffin, wife of the Controller of the Navy, and was commissioned at Devonport on 5 September 1975.

On 27 April 1983, Ambuscade was conducting tactical manoeuvres with ships of the United States Navy in the Indian Ocean.

During the course of the exercise, she collided with the guided missile cruiser USS Dale, resulting in part of her bow being torn away.

[citation needed] Ambuscade was in collision with the trawler Ester Colleen in heavy fog off Torbay on 26 October 1983.

[7][8] On 8 June 1984, Ambuscade went to the assistance of the schooner Stena of Sitoo, which had struck an object in the North Sea and been holed below the waterline.