A composite truss armor and a method of manufacturing the same. The composite truss armor includes a filler material and a three-dimensional (3D) ordered truss structure. The 3D ordered truss structure includes: a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third ordered truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material. The first, second, and third truss elements define an open space. The filler material occupies at least a portion of the open space, and the 3D ordered truss structure is self-supporting.