This document summarizes the Operational Research (OR) support provided by the Defence Research and Development Canada - Valcartier OR group to the Capability Engineering for Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapons project. The main objective of the OR study was to examine the military utility of long-range hypersonic missiles (HMs). Firstly, the author presents an historical background on HMs development, the critical technology challenges that HMs are facing, and the main advantages of HMs. Secondly, an overview of the potential military utilities and applications of HMs is included. The potential applications and contributions of HMs are put into context, in a general manner, within the current environment and requirements of the CF, which is dictated by the Defence Policy Statement and the eleven Force Planning Scenarios. Finally, the author includes a quantitative analysis on the effectiveness of HMs to engage mobile time-sensitive targets. The hunt for transporter-erector-launcher vehicles during the First Gulf War is used as case study. The results of the analysis showed that HMs can be of great value in the engagement of time-sensitive targets.
