Pratt & Whitney "is absolutely thrilled" at the performance of its F119 engine in the two flight test F-22 Raptor fighters. "We're absolutely delighted to date, as is the Air Force," Pratt & Whitney president Karl Krapek told Show News.

Describing military business as "the foundation beneath the whole company," he said it is critical the F119 meets all expectations. Not only has there been an initiative in Washington to dual-source the engine that Pratt obviously wants to defeat, but Krapek wants to remain the exclusive engine on the first 2,000 or so Joint Strike Fighters.

"We are meeting our cost targets and performance targets. The military budget has big constraints and we've got to bring this program in at the caps to keep it viable," he said. Only by keeping the engine "sold" will Pratt ensure its solo place on the JSF.

Pratt has signed a fixed price contract with the U.S. Air Force for the first two lots of F119s, Krapek disclosed.

"We've even spent some of our own money on cost reductions to make sure we come in under the caps," he said.