"In early 1961, the United States Navy announced a development study for a replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk announcing the VAL (Heavier-than-air, Attack, Light) competition stipulating that all proposals had to be based on existing designs and with increased range and payload when compared to the A-4 plus increased accuracy in the delivery of weapons. This coincided with the appointment of Robert McNamara as the new Secretary of Defense for the incoming John F. Kennedy presidency and McNamara wasted no time in directing the Air Force to adopt both the Navy's F-4 Phantom and the Navy's new VAL program."
No language there to replace the A-1 Skyraider.
CL