A multiphase composite system is made by binding hard particles, such as TiC particles, of various sizes with a mixture of titanium powder and aluminum, nickel, and titanium in a master alloy or as elemental materials to produce a composite system that has advantageous energy absorbing characteristics. The multiple phases of this composite system include an aggregate phase of hard particles bound with a matrix phase. The matrix phase has at least two phases with varying amounts of aluminum, nickel, and titanium. The matrix phase forms a bond with the hard particles and has varying degrees of hard and ductile phases. The composite system may be used alone or bonded to other materials such as bodies of titanium or ceramic in the manufacture of ballistic armor tiles.