WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - Apple ( AAPL ) said

Tuesday it plans to ask a U.S. judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed

by the Justice Department and 15 states in March that alleged

the iPhone maker monopolized the smartphone market, hurt smaller

rivals and drove up prices.

In a letter to U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals, Apple ( AAPL )

said "far from being a monopolist, Apple ( AAPL ) faces fierce

competition from well-established rivals, and the complaint

fails to allege that Apple ( AAPL ) has the ability to charge

supra-competitive prices or restrict output in the alleged

smartphone markets."

Apple ( AAPL ) said the complaint should be dismissed on a number of

grounds.