Brilliant took part in the only ship-to-ship engagement of the Falklands War, when she and HMS Yarmouth chased the Argentine coaster Monsunen, in the Battle of Seal Cove.

[1] She sailed south with two WE.177A nuclear depth charges on board;[2] to avoid complications arising from the Treaty of Tlatelolco, these were transferred to RFA Fort Austin on 16 April 1982.

On 14 May 1989, the ship's helicopter, a Lynx HAS3, XZ244, crashed near Mombasa, Kenya, while en route to the city's airport for a period of shore leave.

A door had detached when opened inflight and collided with the tail rotor, resulting in the aircraft splitting in half and the death of all nine personnel on board.

[7] 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.