Russian military aircraft detected off Alaska

Over the past week, American F-16 fighters have been dispatched twice -- once on Aug. 21 and once on Aug. 20 -- to intercept Russian Il-20 aircraft operating in the Alaska ADIZ. They intercepted a Russian aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone for the third time in the past week, NORAD said in a statement. The Russian Il-20 surveillance and reconnaissance was operating in the Alaskan ADIZ. It remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian airspace, NORAD said in its statement. "This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat," it added.

So, why on earth are we intercepting Russian aircrafts for?