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The North American B-45 Tornado was the United States Air Force's first operational jet bomber, and the first jet aircraft to be refuelled in the air. The B-45 was an important part of the United States's nuclear deterrent for several years in the early 1950s, but was rapidly succeeded by the Boeing B-47 Stratojet. B-45s and RB-45s served in the United States Air Force's Tactical Air Command from 1950 until 1959.

Continuously plagued by engine problems along with numerous other minor flaws, the B-45 regained importance when the United States entered the Korean War in 1950 and would prove its value both as a bomber and in a reconnaissance role. The mass dedication of U.S. Forces to the Korean War revealed the vulnerability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Europe to Soviet attack and it was in this light that the Air Force made an important decision about the future of the B-45. The B-45, like all post WWII U.S. bombers, could carry both nuclear and conventional bombs. The progression of weapons technology had led to a great reduction in the weight and size of atomic and thermonuclear weapons in U.S. inventory, effectively allowing smaller aircraft such as the B-45 to carry out nuclear strikes, a mission which had initially been limited to heavy bombers. Suddenly, the small fleet of B-45's had great value again as a nuclear deterrent.

The program Backbreaker entailed difficult modifications to the aircraft due to many distinct atomic bomb types which were in inventory at the time along with large amounts of electronics which had to be fitted for the nuclear mission. In addition, the 40 B-45s allocated to the Backbreaker program also were equipped with a new defensive system and extra fuel tanks. Despite the magnitude of the modification project, plus ongoing problems with the early jet engines, atomic-capable B-45s began reaching the United Kingdom in May 1952, and deployment of the 40 aircraft was completed in mid June. It was at about this same time that RB-45s of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron began to arrive in Japan, replacing the WWII era piston engine RB-29s which had proved to be easy targets for North Korean MiGs. The RB-45s would provide valuable intelligence throughout the remainder of the Korean War despite the limited number of airframes which were available. RB-45Cs flew many day light missions until early 1952, when they were converted to night operations after an RB-45 was almost lost to a North Korean MiG-15.