Pentagon chooses Italy, Turkey for European maintenance of F-35

(Corrects headline and text to clarify that Italy and Turkey have been chosen just for European maintenence)

WASHINGTON, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department on Thursday said it had chosen Italy to provide initial heavy maintenance of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet in Europe from 2018, and Turkey to provide heavy maintenance for the jet's engines.

Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan said the decision followed months of reviews and discussions. He said Britain would provide backup maintenance for the plane's airframe if needed. Norway and the Netherlands would provide additional engine maintenance capability over a phased period, he said. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alden Bentley)