In 1944 Westland Aircraft's technical director and chief designer W. Among the companies shortlisted to proceed with development studies was English Electric, a well-established industrial manufacturer with very little aircraft experience, though when a desperate need for bombers had arisen during the early years of the Second World War, English Electric had begun to build the Handley-Page Hampden under licence. Several British aircraft manufacturers submitted proposals. The Canberra had its origins in a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the de Havilland Mosquito: a high-altitude, high-speed bomber with no defensive armament.
The Canberra was retired by its first operator, the Royal Air Force, in 23 June 2006, 57 years after its first flight a few remain in service, performing meteorological work for NASA. In several wars, both of the opposing forces had Canberras in their air forces. Canberras served in the Vietnam War, the Falklands War, the Indo-Pakistani Wars, and numerous African conflicts. In addition to being a tactical nuclear strike aircraft the Canberra proved to be highly adaptable, serving in such varied roles for tactical bombing, photographic, electronic, and reconnaissance in conventional warfare. Due to its ability to evade early interceptors and providing a significant performance advancement over piston-engined bombers then common, the Canberra was a popular export product and served in many nations. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft (21,430m) in 1957. The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. Due to its ability to evade early interceptors and providing a significant performance advancement over piston-engined bombers then common, the Canberra was a popular export product and served with many nations.
The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft (21,430 m) in 1957.
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