Metal matrix composites consisting of SiC monofilaments in Ti-based matrices show great promise for aerospace applications. This work is on a novel graded coating system for SiC monofilaments used to reinforce Ti matrices. SiC Sigma monofilaments were coated with a functionally graded (FG) TiC-based coating(SiCf/C/(Ti,C)/Ti) using close field un-balanced magnetron sputtering. The coated fibres were incorporated into Ti matrices using hot isostatic pressing. The interfacial properties of the bulk composites were then evaluated using pushout testing of thin composite samples, in order to asses the effect of the graded coating. The tests were repeated on the same samples after heat treatment. The samples were subsequently analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with both secondary and backscattered electron analysis modes to identify the region of failure. The test results indicate that the FG coating offers an improvement on composite fracture toughness over the un-coated fibres by approximately 70% before heat treatment, approximately 35% after heat treatment.