A　novel　cladding-connector　system　with　excellent　energy　absorption　capacity　was　proposed　to　protect　vulnerable　walls　in　frame　structures　subjected　to　blast　load　in　the　present　study.　The　cladding-connector　system　was　constructed　by　combining　a　sacrificial　cladding　consisting　of　an　aluminum　foam　core　sandwiched　by　two　steel　plates　and　four　connectors　made　of　corrugated　steel　tubes.　On　one　hand,　the　cladding　absorbed　a　considerable　amount　of　blast　energy.　On　the　other　hand,　the　connectors　controlled　the　load　transfer　to　the　protected　structure　to　certain　specific　pre-defined　value.　With　this　approach,　both　relatively　high　energy　absorption　and　relatively　low　load　transfer　can　be　achieved　simultaneously.　Specifically,　based　on　the　quasi-static　compression　test　on　the　connectors　and　the　field　blast　test　on　the　sacrificial　cladding,　the　numerical　model　of　the　proposed　system　was　established　with　ANSYS/LS-DYNA　and　validated　with　the　test　results.　Then　the　deformation　mode,　energy　dissipation,　and　load　transfer　of　the　cladding-connector　systems　with　flexible　or　rigid　connectors　under　various　charge　weights　were　numerically　studied　and　compared.　Results　showed　that　the　proposed　cladding-connector　systems　could　dissipate　a　considerable　amount　of　energy　under　blast,　in　which　the　major　part　was　dissipated　by　the　cladding　and　the　rest　by　the　connectors.　Particularly,　compared　to　the　cladding-connector　system　with　rigid　connectors,　the　cladding-connector　system　with　flexible　connectors　exhibited　superior　performance　in　terms　of　energy　absorption　and　load　transfer,　especially　under　intense　blast.　With　the　merits　of　excellent　energy　absorption,　significant　blast　intensity　reduction,　and　load　shift　from　the　vulnerable　walls　to　the　load-bearing　components,　the　proposed　cladding-connector　system　with　flexible　connectors　was　more　promising　to　effectively　protect　the　existing　frame　structures　against　blast.