Talk:Akitsu Maru/@comment-189.26.88.158-20151110224441/@comment-5380363-20151120034718

She's a ship for landing assault troops. Look up the modern Tarawa-class LHA (Landing Ship Helicopter Assault). The modern Wasp-class is a LHD (Landing Ship Helicopter Dock) which is similar, but has a dock for launching AAVs into the water.

A short answer would be something like a Helicopter Carrier with facilities to land combat troops onto the beach.