Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA)

A US Navy big-deck amphibious assault ship optimized for aviation, with the hull symbol LHA. The Tarawa class (LHA-1, commissioned 1976) had a well deck; the modern America class (LHA-6, commissioned 2014) deleted the well deck on its first two hulls to enlarge the hangar and fuel stowage for the F-35B and MV-22, then restored a well deck from LHA-8 (Bougainville). The LHA differs from the LHD chiefly in this aviation emphasis; both run near 45,000 tons full load and lead an Amphibious Ready Group.