Here's what's going on. There were helicopters out in PW County also yesterday.
Jets, choppers over region this week for NORAD exercise
Tuesday - 10/25/2011, 5:32am ET
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2605976
WASHINGTON (AP) - NORAD is planning an exercise this week in the Washington region to enhance its skills and test a warning system.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct exercise Falcon Virgo 12-01 Wednesday morning.
The exercise is designed to hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations and test the region's visual warning system. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s and a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercise. These flights will take place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.
A civilian Beechcraft King Air aircraft will also fly patterns about 1,000 feet above ground level between 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. to help calibrate systems and equipment.