A composite shield comprises a panel including an outer ballistic fabric strike surface layer and an inner structural armor plate layer. The structural armor plate layer has a multiplicity of traversing ports. The traversing ports have sufficient lateral area to allow deformation of the ballistic fabric through the structural armor plate layer on the occurrence of explosive blast. The composite shield is particularly effective in protecting personnel. Blast frequencies in the damaging 1000 to 3000 Hz range are attenuated.