The oxidation of Ti 3 SiC 2 composites (75 at. pct Ti 3 SiC 2 and 25 at. pct TiC x ), prepared via selfpropagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) and subsequent shock consolidation, has been studied in the range of 1073 to 1573 K in this research. The oxidation kinetics are parabolic with an activation energy of approximately 240 Ϯ 20 kJ/mol. As shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) during the very early stages of oxidation, the oxide layer formed contains amorphous SiO 2 and crystalline rutile (TiO 2 ). As oxidation proceeds, a two-layered oxide scale is observed with the outer oxide layer consisting of columnar TiO 2 with trace amounts of SiO 2 and the inner oxide layer being comprised of a mixture of amorphous SiO 2 and fine crystalline TiO 2 . The grain size of the outermost oxide (TiO 2 ) increases with increasing oxidation temperature. The oxidation resistance of the Ti 3 SiC 2 composites prepared by SHS and subsequent shock consolidation is similar to the oxidation of Ti 3 SiC 2 prepared by other means with comparable parabolic constants.