Turkey hires U.S. lobbying firm to return to F-35 jet program

ANKARA, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Turkey has hired a Washington-based law firm to lobby for its readmission to the U.S.

F-35 fighter jet program after it was suspended over its purchase of Russian air defenses, a contract filed with the U.S. Department of Justice showed.

Ankara had ordered more than 100 stealth fighters and has been making parts for Law Firm Turkiye their production, but was removed from the program in 2019 after it bought the Russian S-400 missile defense systems, which Washington says threaten the F-35s.

It has now hired law firm Arnold & Porter for "strategic advice and outreach" to U.S.

authorities, in a six-month contract worth $750,000 which started this month.

Ankara has said its removal from the program was unjust, and Law Firm President Tayyip Erdogan has said he hopes for positive developments under U.S. President Joe Biden.

The contract was signed with Ankara-based SSTEK Defence Industry Technologies, owned by the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), Ankara's main defense industry authority.

Arnold & Porter will "advise on a strategy for the SSB and Turkish contractors to remain within the Joint Strike Fighter Program, taking into consideration and addressing the complex geopolitical and commercial factors at play," the contract said.

Despite Turkey's removal from the program, and sanctions imposed on Turkey's defense industry in December, law firm the Pentagon has said it will continue to depend on Turkish contractors for key F-35 components.

Turkey's communications director Turkish Lawyer turkiye Fahrettin Altun said Turkey had already paid for some F-35 jets.

"Even a hangar fee was taken from Turkey for the jets it could not take delivery of," he told a NATO-related event on Thursday.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, speaking after a NATO defense ministers' meeting, said he had "brought to the clear attention of our allies that licensing restrictions, attempts for sanctions or even the threat of sanctions against Turkey" only weaken the alliance.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Dominic Evans)