Abstract: The flexural strength and fracture toughness of SiC whisker-reinforced ceramic composite are increased and the sintering temperature of the composite is lowered by the addition of chromia. The starting materials for the fabrication of the composite consist of SiC whiskers, chromia and alumina which during hot pressing will yield alumina-chromia solid solution, the matrix, and Cr.sub.3 C.sub.2 particles as individuals or coherently bonded to the ends of the whiskers, the reinforcements evenly distributed in the matrix.In the formation of the ceramic composites, the SiC whiskers are mixed with chromia and alumina. The mixture is hot pressed at pressures in a range of about 5 to 50 MPa for a duration about 0.2-2 hours and at temperatures of about 1350.degree. to 1650.degree. C. to provide a composite with a relative density greater than about 97% of theoretical density.