Originally Posted by LowObservable
To begin with, what you do with the LHA/LHDs is (drum roll) what they were designed for (the basic hull design of even the newest ships pre-dates the Harrier in USMC service) which is to transport Marines, weapons, and vehicles in a warship-hard hull and get them to shore and support them with LCACs and helicopters.
Really? What world are you living in?
USMC Harrier (actually Kestrel, designated XV-6A) trials started in 1965, and continued through 1968, including take-offs & landings aboard USS Raleigh LPD-1 (1966) and USS Independence.
Purchase of 12 Harriers (designated AV-8A) authorized by Congress 20 September 1969, first flight of USMC Harrier 20 November 1970, delivered to USMC February 1971. 102 purchased, plus 8 TAV-8As.
The Tarawa class was approved for production in 1968... 3 years
after the USMC began Kestrel evaluations, and
concurrent with the formal USMC request for purchase of Harriers for operational squadrons.
Construction on the lead ship of the class began 15 November 1971... 1 year after the first USMC AV-8A Harrier flew!
There is only 1 Tarawa-class LHA left in commission!
The Wasp-class LHD, while based on the LHA, was significantly modified internally... the first was ordered on 28 February 1984... 6 months after the first production AV-8B flew (29 August 1983)!
So USMC involvement with, and desire for, the Harrier was concurrent with the designing of the LHA hull, not after it.
Construction of the first LHA hull began nearly a year after the first Harrier was delivered to the USMC, and just after the first AV-8A squadron (VMA-513) was declared operational (May 1971).