Construction began in September on HMS Venturer, the inaugural vessel for the Royal Navy. The five ships Britain has ordered will cost £1.25bn, meaning they cost about a quarter as much as the more sophisticated type 45 Destroyer.

The ships are driven by Rolls Royce diesel engines with a range of up to 9,000 nautical miles.

The remaining ships will be named HMS Active, HMS Formidable, HMS Bulldog and HMS Campbeltown.

Frigates are designed to be multi-purpose ships, kitted out with underwater mine-hunting drones, air defence missiles, or disaster relief stores. The ship’s design hides its cargo so that enemies are in the dark as to what armaments the ships are carrying.

The purchase by the Royal Navy is seen as a top selling point for other customers and Babcock is still marketing the vessel to other nations. At one stage, Brazil and Ireland were rumoured to be interested, although no orders have been made. Last year, the company signed a deal to make two for the Indonesian Navy. 

Construction on Poland’s new ships is expected to start next year, following a planning process to integrate the technology of the three winning companies.

PGZ, the Polish defence combine overseeing the project, said the purchase “will significantly increase the capabilities of the Polish Navy” and will “make a significant contribution of the Republic of Poland within the framework of the North Atlantic Alliance.”

UK Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, said: “Poland is one of our oldest and closest allies, and we continue to strengthen our partnership to help deter future threats.