Editing Convair F-106 Delta Dart (section)

===Competing efforts and production arrangements===
Throughout its early development, the F-102B had to compete for attention and resources with the F-102A; the aviation author Marcelle Knaack observed that there were fewer funds to develop the more capable systems of the F-102B, which would have been useful in more quickly overcoming some of the technical difficulties that arose.<ref name="knaack p208">Knaack 1978, p. 208.</ref> The number of F-102As on order grew substantially beyond that which had been originally forecast, indicative of the growing importance attached to what had once been intended to be an interim or 'stop-gap' aircraft to fill in until the F-102B could be delivered. During December 1955, a mock-up with the expected layout of the MX-1179, now known as the MA-1, was inspected and approved.<ref name="knaack p208209">Knaack 1978, pp. 208-209.</ref>

On 18 April 1956, an extended production contract for 17 F-102Bs was issued to Convair, representing substantially fewer aircraft than had been originally anticipated at this stage.<ref name="knaack p208209"/> On 17 June of that year, the aircraft was officially re-designated as the F-106A.<ref name="knaack p162">Knaack 1978, p. 162.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Convair F-102A |url=http://www.456fis.org/F-102A.htm |website=456FIS.ORG |publisher=THE 456th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON |access-date=17 June 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155915/http://www.456fis.org/F-102A.htm |archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = CONVAIR F-106A DELTA DART |url = http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4085 |website = The Official Web Site of National Museum of the USAF |publisher = National Museum of the US Air Force |access-date = 17 June 2014  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110914000635/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4085 |archive-date = 14 September 2011 }}</ref> On 18 August 1956, the USAF issued a systems development directive that called for development and production of the F-106 {{clarification needed span|text=to occur simultaneously;|reason=With what?|date=May 2024}} Knaack attributed this policy as being responsible for several later problems in the program.<ref name="knaack p209">Knaack 1978, p. 209.</ref> During April 1957, the USAF formally rejected Convair's F-102C proposal (essentially a reengined model of the F-102) to concentrate on the more advanced F-106 program, which it had then anticipated to enter service during the following year.<ref name="knaack p168169">Knaack 1978, pp. 168-169.</ref>