This paper investigates the shielding effectiveness properties of different types of carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRC), typically used aboard air-vehicles, in the frequency range from 100 kHz up to 18 GHz. Both single-layer and multilayer, unidirectional or woven, CFRCs are analyzed, and the critical issue concerning sample preparation is addressed. The study is aimed at defining an effective single layer model of the CFRC laminate, characterized by an effective frequency-dependent electrical conductivity, which is extracted from the measured shielding effectiveness. © 2012 IEEE