All of those things could be done at the same time. The main pressure on this ship to launch would be dry dock time which is expensive, so if it is seaworthy, has paint up past the waterline, and all the heavy structures have been installed, it could very well get launched. The island, the engines and the flight deck pieces are really the last additions that would benefit from the dry dock's full gantry crane. We have already seen many ships (e.g. 052Ds) launch without all their radars or other hardware installed so the little details like radars and internal wiring don't need to be done in dry dock when they could easily be done at pierside. IMO when the last holes on the flight deck are finished is when we should be imminently expecting a launch.
Well, having watched them build the Liaoning from inception, and having watched them build each of the LPDs and most of the DDGs, I will stand by my own forecast.
We'll see what happens...but I SERIOUSLY doubt any launch before the 1st of the year, and expect it to be April May time frame for the official launch.
Time will tell soon enough.
Either way, they will have done a good job getting their 1st indigenous carrier out in that time frame.
BTW, here's how most Type 052Ds have launched...with almost all of the major systems in place. Oh, they outfitted them alright afterwards, with plenty to do, but not nearly to the effect implied earlier:
That last ones says it best...showing it as it comes out of the hall.
I expect this carrier to be completed to the same type of standard and that it may well by April-May as I have said. We shall see.
.... Nimitz, Ford etc is diff cause the island is much smaller and the perch above the bridge allows almost unhindered look at the entire flight deck and the airspace surrounding the carrier.