US fighters intercept Russian aircraft off Alaska for 3rd time in a week

LONDON -- Fighters from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on Sunday intercepted a Russian aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone for the third time in the past week, the command said in a statement.

One E-3 Sentry command and control aircraft, two F-16 fighters and two KC-135s Stratotankers were dispatched "to intercept and visually identify" a Russian Il-20 surveillance and reconnaissance operating in the Alaskan ADIZ, NORAD said.