Response of simply supported anti-symmetrically laminated angle-ply plates to explosive blast loading is considered. A closed-form solution is obtained for thick plates, it being assumed that the material remains in the elastic range. The effect of transverse shear deformations on the response of thick plates is taken into consideration. The behaviour of thin laminated plates subjected to blast is studied using geometrically non-linear theory. Initial imperfections, which can be important for thin plates, are included in the analysis. The solution for thin elastic laminated plates is obtained numerically using a Runge-Kutta method. The analysis yields the non-dimensional deflection vs time relationship which can be used to determine the stresses and strains in the layers of the plate. © 1987.