Method and system for attenuating shock waves via an inflatable enclosure

According to an embodiment, a method for attenuating shock waves (42) may include detecting at least one of an incoming hostile threat (40) or electromagnetic radiation from an explosion (38) from the hostile threat (40) and filling an enclosure with a gas, the enclosure being positioned between the explosion (38) and a region to be protected. According to one embodiment, a system may include a sensor (22, 24) configured to detect at least one of the direction of an incoming threat and an explosion (38) from the incoming threat, an inflatable enclosure (26), and an inflation device (12) configured to receive a trigger signal from the sensor (22, 24) indicating the arrival of the threat or explosion from the threat and inflate the inflatable enclosure (26) in time to allow the inflated enclosure (26) to reflect, absorb and/or refract and defocus at least a portion of the shock wave (42) from the explosion (38) before it reaches the protected region (44).