1979

Broadsword was ordered from Yarrow Shipbuilders on 8th February 1974 and was laid down at Yarrows Scotstoun shipyard on 7th February 1975. She was launched on 12th May 1976 and commissioned on 3rd May 1979. While on sea trials, Broadsword was called into service as the command ship during the large rescue operation required after storms struck the 1979 Fastnet race.

1982

Broadsword took part in the 1982 Falklands War. She was operating with and in close proximity to four ships that were lost. She was in the 1st Carrier Battle Group when HMS Sheffield was hit and flew fire fighting equipment on to her to help fight the fires. Broadswords flight crew had landed on HMS Antelope when she was hit not far away from the flight deck. Operating in San Carlos attacks were from dusk till dawn and she resued Ardents Doctor when he was blown over the side from the flight deck with bomb blast. Broadsword then gave air cover while Yarmouth rescued crew from the sinking ship. During air attacks in Bomb alley both helicopters were taken out of action. Broadsword and Brilliant were the only ships capable to operate two helecopters and Brillaint lended a Lynx to Broadsword. While operating as a missile trap with HMS Coventry for the third time both ships were attacked by four aircraft. The first two aircraft attacked HMS Coventry but she was putting up so much anti aircraft fire that they veared to Broadsword instead and dropped their bombs on Broadsword. One bomb closely missed and another hit, ripping through the ship througth the afater section and chopping the front of the borrowed helicopter off and also a torpedo slung underneath was chopped in two. Frantic damage control below deck and on the flight deck temporary patched the damage which was later fixed by Stena Seaspread. With three helicopters out of action the major bombed helicopter tail was taken off to repair one of the orther two helicopters.

1993

Broadsword took part in the naval operation in support of operataion Grapple (Yugoslavia), in the Adriatic sea. On completion on 8th July 1993 , a fire broke out in the aft auxilary machinery room which resulted in the deaths od two on watch engineers.

1994

By July 1994, HMS Broadsword was serving as the West Indies Guard Ship until she returned to the United KJingdom in March 1995 for decommissioning.

1995

In November 1995, Broadsword was sold to Brazil alongside her sisters HMS Brazen, HMS Brilliant and HMNS Battleaxe. She was officially decommissioned from the Royal Navy service on 31st March 1995 and entered the Brazillian Navy on 30th June as Greenalgh.