First flown in early 1938, the Martin Maryland was an attack bomber which was initially rejected by the USAAF but found acceptance with the French who ordered 215 aircraft. By the time of the French surrender, about 75 had been delivered where they recorded the lowest loss rate of any French bomber (just 8 percent) but most survivors ended up fighting alongside Vichy forces in the Mediterranean. The RAF also ordered about 150 of these aircraft which ended up fighting in that same theater as well as Europe. Among their most daring exploits was a reconnaissance flight against Taranto which paved the way for the carrier-based strike which severely crippled the Italian fleet as well as the initial spotting of the Bismark and the Prince Eugen as they left port in May 1941. The only other operator of the Maryland was the South African Air Force which employed them alongside the RAF in North Africa.

The Maryland was initially called the Martin 167 and with a USAAF trial designation of XA-22, it first flew on 14 March 1938 . The Martin 167F variant was the one sold to the French, this same variant was renamed Maryland Mk. I by the RAF which took hold of a couple of the formerly French units. A later variant used by the RAF in larger numbers was the Maryland Mk. II with two-stage supercharged engines. Given that none actually served in the USAAF, the designation A-22 was never used.