An LPD or LHD cannot be judged only by the number of troops embarked. The hull also gathers landing craft, stores, maintenance, command-and-control spaces, and the organisation needed to sustain a force ashore. An LHD adds a substantial aviation layer to that same amphibious support system. Removing the ship therefore eliminates a cluster of mutually supporting capabilities, not just a block of passenger accommodation.
Notable Point · 1:22:04
LPDs and LHDs are more than troop transports
The value of amphibious assault ships lies in landing craft, command facilities, and logistics as much as in their troop capacity.