The America-class amphibious assault ships (formerly the LHA® class) of the U.S. Navy was designed to put ashore a Marine Expeditionary Unit using helicopters and MV-22B Osprey V/STOLs, supported by AV-8B Harrier or F-35 Lightning II V/STOL fighter planes and various attack helicopters. The first of these warships should be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2013 to replace the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) of the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ships. The design of the America class was based on that of the USS Makin Island (LHD-8), the last ship of the Wasp class, but the "Flight 0" ships of the America class will not have well decks, and they have smaller on-board hospitals in order to give more space for aviation uses.
Although they only carry helicopters and V/STOL aircraft, the USS America with a displacement of about 45,000 long tons is similar in size to the fixed wing aircraft carriers of France and India.
The America can be used as a small aircraft carrier with a squadron of jet fighters plus several multipurpose helicopters, such as the SH-60 Seahawk. She can carry about 20 AV-8B Harriers, F-35Bs, or a mixture of the two, but the future ships of this class, starting with LHA-8 will have smaller aircraft hangars to leave room for smaller than usual amphibious warfare well decks.

The San Antonio class is a class of amphibious transport dock (LPD) warships used by the United States Navy. They are the U.S. Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock warships for the first third of the 21st century.[2] These warships are to replace the older Austin class LPDs (including Cleveland and Trenton sub-classes), as well as the Newport class tank landing ships, and the Charleston class amphibious cargo ships, that has already been retired.[2]
Twelve ships of the San Antonio class were proposed, but only eleven funded, with one cancelled due to budget cuts and cost overruns. Their original target price was $890 million;[3] as built, their average cost is $1.6 billion.[1] As of May 2013 eight warships of this class are in service with the U.S. Navy.