Abstract: In the last decade, the dynamic response of ceramicmaterials and the penetration/perforation of targets of ceramics,ceramic/metal, ceramic/composite and layered ceramics is an activeresearch area. It has applications, especially, in the military field. Relatively little work in thisarea is conducted in China. The present paper introduces therecent advances in this area.Theexperimental techniques, penetration/perforation mechanisms and theoreticalmodels are reviewed. The cavity expansion model in ceramics penetration andthe effect of failure wave are specially addressed. Some research proposalsare made at the end of the paper.