UTX chief foresees 30 pct cost drop for F-35 fighter engine

WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - United Technologies Corp (UTX.N) expects to pare costs as much as 30 percent over time on the engine it is building for the world's biggest fighter aircraft program, the board chairman told Reuters on Wednesday.

The cost of the F135 engine being built by the company's Pratt & Whitney unit is at the heart of a battle with rival engine team General Electric Co (GE.N) and Rolls Royce (RR.L).

(Reporting by Jim Wolf; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)