Field trials underway for Russia's next-generation battle tank

April 20 (UPI) -- Russia's next-generation main battle tank, the Armata, is undergoing field trials on schedule, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said.

"[The field trials] are proceeding according to plan," he told the Tass news agency . "Various technologies are being tested and the issue of automatizing all of the tank's systems is being considered."

The T-14 Armata was first produced by Uralvagonzavod in 2015. It is 35 feet long, has an estimated speed of 58 miles per hour and an operational range of about 310 miles.

Its main weapon is a 125mm smooth bore cannon.

Tass quoted Rogozin as saying the number of Armata tanks that will be purchased for the army will be announced in September.

"The purchase parameters will be formalized under a new state armament program," Rogozin said. "In September, it [the state armament program] will be reported in quite an assembled form to the Russian president, including the specified purchase volume for this tank."