France's visiting Defence Minister has assured Australia the future submarine program will run on time, despite a similar build project running three years late in her country.
On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was joined by French Defence Minister Florence Parly to sign a long awaited "strategic partnering agreement" to underpin the $50 billion Future Submarine project.
The signing came after months of tense negotiations between Australian defence officials and representatives of French state-owned company Naval Group.
Last year the ABC revealed the Federal Government had grown so frustrated with Naval Group that Defence Minister Christopher Pyne refused to meet top officials who were visiting Australia.
In her only interview before flying home to Paris, Ms Parly acknowledged "cultural differences" with Australia over the defence project but also talked up the strengthened friendship between both nations.
"Of course there are cultural differences. You are an Anglo-Saxon country, with an Anglo-Saxon legal tradition — we are a more Latin country, but I think that the teams worked very well together," Ms Parly said.
"It will have a great impact on Australian economy and Australian jobs but it also tightens the links in our two countries.
"It is important that democracies that share values can go farther and build the future together."
In France, Naval Group has faced serious delays with another submarine project, the construction of new 'Barracuda' nuclear-powered submarines.
Despite Naval Group's three-year delay with its project in France, Ms Parly says there will be no flow on effects for Australia's program.
"It's very much related to the nuclear part of our submarines and related to new norms and controls that did not exist before," she said.
"There is no risk in my view, that the Attack Class submarines be delayed.
"The negotiators spent a lot of time, making sure that all the provisions are there, that there are no risks, and I don't see any risk of failure."
