PAINT MUST BE REMOVED FROM AIRCRAFT TO ALLOW DETAILED SURFACE INSPECTION, TO PERFORM REPAIR OPERATIONS, AND TO KEEP WEIGHT AT ACCEPTABLE LEVELS AFTER MANY COATS OF PAINT HAVE BEEN APPLIED. SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS PRESENTLY CONSTRUCTING A ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING PAINT FROM FIGHTER AIRCRAFT FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. THE PROCESS THAT IS BEING USED FOR PAINT REMOVAL IS PLASTIC MEDIA BEAD BLASTING. THE BEAD BLASTING PROCESS TOGETHER WITH THE MEDIA RECOVERY SYSTEM, THE MEDIA SEPARATION SYSTEM, THE MEDIA TRANSPORT SYSTEM, THE ROBOT BLAST POT, AND THE BLAST NOZZLES ARE DESCRIBED.