Dense AlN-SiC solid solution ceramics with 25-75mol% AlN were fabricated by spark plasma sintering using hexagonal SiC and AlN powders without additives. The bending strength reaches 800 MPa at room temperature with a fracture toughness of about 5 MPa.m(1/2). The high bending strength can be retained at high temperatures, maintaining over 400 MPa at 1700 degrees C.