Such was the success of the British Canberra light bomber that it soon attracted the interest of the USAF which chose it for local manufacture as the Martin B-57 Canberra. US versions of this outstanding aircraft were considerably redesigned compared to the original model: the forward fuselage was modified with tandem rather than side-by-side seating and was given a fighter style canopy, a rotary bomb bay, provision for external ordinance, wing-mounted guns, and upgraded avionics. Notwithstanding a turbulent start, B-57s saw substantial action during the Vietnam War were some were equipped as night intruders with advanced avionics such as forward looking radar, low light TV, infrared sensors, and a laser rangefinder. Perhaps more impressive were the reconnaissance variants, some with massive new wings and capable of flying at extremely high altitutudes. Foreign operators of US Canberras were Taiwan and Pakistan, the latter which used it in combat against India.

Initial B-57s were directly based on the Canberra B.2 and known as the B-57A bomber and RB-57A camera equipped reconnaissance platform both of which replaced the Rolls-Royce Avon engines by a locally built version of the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire. These were found to be problematic so it was decided to further adapt the Canberra to local requirements as the B-57B which saw action in Vietnam further adapted as the B-57G night intruder with highly sophisticated avionics. Other versions included the TB-57C combat capable trainer, the B-57E target tug, and the EB-57E electronic recon platforms. High altitude recon variants began with the RB-57D followed by the RB-57F. These had new engines and massive new wings reaching 122 ft (nearly twice as large as the original wings) and two extra underwing engines in the latter variant.