The field trials of Russia’s most advanced Armata tank are proceeding on schedule and without complications, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told TASS on Thursday.
"They are proceeding according to plan," he said in reply to a question about how operational tests were going on. "Various technologies are being tested and the issue of automatizing all of the tank’s systems is being considered," Rogozin said. The board of Russia’s military and industrial commission will soon hear a report by Uralvagonzavod newly-appointed CEO Alexander Potapov on the pace of these works, the vice-premier said. "We do not expect any complications with this machine," Rogozin said.
The volume of
T-14 Armata tank purchases for the Russian Armed Forces will be specified by September, the vice-premier said. "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." The new draft state armament program is expected to be submitted to the Defense Ministry and the board of the military and industrial commission in early May, the vice-premier said.
The
T-14 Armata was unveiled for the first time to the public during the military parade in Moscow for the Victory Day, May 9, 2015. During the victory day parade 2015, Russia has unveiled the new Armata and the main armament consists only of a new 125mm gun with no additional weapons on the side of the turret. Second armament of the
T-14 Armata includes one remote weapon station mounted on the top rear of the turret armed with one 7.62mm mm machine gun.
The new unmanned remote turret of
T-14 Armata would be equipped with new generation of 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun with an automatic loader and 32 rounds ready to use. The main gun can also fire new laser-guided missile with a range from 7 to 12 km. The
T-14 Armata carries a total of 45 rounds. According to some Russian sources, the
T-14 Armata could be armed in the future with a new 152mm cannon. The first deliveries of the tank to the Russian Armed Forces was scheduled for 2015.
