UHMWPE fiber (Dyneema) reinforced composites are an important class of materials for armors.These materials provide superior ballistic performance to the armor, such as the military armor systems requiring a reduction in back-armor effects or a substrate for hardened facings of steet or ceramic. The reported work characterized the ballistic impact and mechanical performance of Dyneema fiber in composite laminates. The capability of the laminate to absorb ballistic impact energy was influenced by the impact velocity and the laminate areal density. Two kinds of penetration were compared and a two-step model for the penetration was proposed. UHMWPE fiber (Dyneema) reinforced composites are an important class of materials for armors. These materials provide superior ballistic performance to the armor, such as the military armor systems requiring a reduction in back-armor effects or a substrate for hardened facings of steet or ceramic The reported work characterized the ballistic impact and mechanical performance of Dyneema fiber in composite laminates. The capability of the laminate to absorb ballistic impact energy was influenced by the impact velocity and the laminate areal density. Two kinds of penetration were compared and a two- step model for the penetration was proposed.