So then you mean to say that BAe / GD are doing this work turn-key having taken possession of and responsibility for the ship in every way with the obligation to return it to the Navy with all the work completed and only then accepted and paid for after inspection? Also you mean to say that the contractor assumes liability for failure to deliver the ship complete and in a timely manner or for its loss? Such liability involves remedies I doubt any contractor can satisfy.
If so then this also implies the Navy has required a bond equal to the replacement value of the ship in the event of such a loss as this or failure to perform the work?
If the contract officers for the Navy have not done this then they are negligent. If there is some other contract relationship then the controlling and accountable party is the Navy.
Fact of the business is, the loss of this ship is bigger than the loss of the ship. The loss of a war fighting asset is one the contractor can’t indemnify for. There is no amount of insurance available for that if it could be obtained. Therefore, the ultimate responsibility and accountability for the well being of the ship can only be with the Navy.
Historically, what happens when a contractor breaks a ship through negligence or screw up, the contractor ends up replacing it or does payment-in-kind on other contracts. Fortunately, a Wasp isn’t actually all that expensive relatively speaking and Ingalls can (last I looked) still make them. In fact, they were looking at selling some new-build ones to the Japanese a few years ago (2014-2016).
Of course, if it is arson, then the contractor will be off the hook.