Why an Arctic amphibious ship still needs a well deck

Should an Arctic amphibious flagship favor an LHA without a dock or an ice-strengthened LHD?

Favor the LHD: its protected dock can deploy utility craft, hovercraft, and patrol boats, greatly broadening presence and access in Arctic waters.

The dock is valuable precisely because utility landing craft, hovercraft, and CB90-type boats can be prepared, warmed, and launched from relative shelter. That protected starting point reduces the burden of handling small craft in severe conditions and gives the commander several ways to reach coastlines or isolated communities. An ice-strengthened bow addresses navigation, but it does not replace the access provided by embarked boats. With suitable modification, the parent ship becomes a mobile area-control and presence platform rather than relying only on helicopters or exposed boat handling.