SINGAPORE, Feb 3 (Reuters) - A senior Rolls-Royce

executive on Tuesday defended recent price rises and

improvements in performance after airlines accused engine makers

of profiting from supply chain problems.

The head of the International Air Transport Association,

Willie Walsh, said on Monday ‌that engine makers had raised

prices across the board for repairs despite shortfalls in

durability and ​long queues for maintenance on the latest jet

engines.

Rob Watson, president of ‍Rolls-Royce's civil aerospace

division, said engine pricing reflected supply ⁠chain disruptions

and the ⁠fallout from geopolitical instability.

"I think that our pricing reflects supply chain disruption

coming out ‌of COVID," Watson said in an ​interview on the

sidelines of the Singapore Airshow.

"For us, pricing has to some extent been a function of cost.

We're ⁠reflecting raised costs, which are ‍driven by ​all those

supply chain challenges that everybody talks about," he added.

Watson said the British engine maker was "on track" with a

programme of ‍improvements in the durability of its largest

engine for the long-haul Airbus A350-1000.

Rolls has said the improvements are already delivering 60%

more time on wing between overhauls with further improvements

expected from 2028.

It plans to test the engine in harsh Middle East conditions

in 2027. Dubai's ​Emirates, ‍the world's largest buyer of

wide-body jets, has called for progress in lengthening the time

between repair shop visits before buying ​the jet.

Asked about proposals by Airbus to expand the A350 family

with a bigger A350-2000 model to counter Boeing's ( BA ) 777-9,

Watson voiced general support but declined to be drawn into

specifics.

"We have a very close partnership with Airbus, which has

been very successful. So we'll always want to stay aligned with

their thinking ​of the market, and ... make sure our product

strategy is aligned with their product strategy."

Some analysts have said such a plane would require a

potentially costly engine enhancement or ‍development.