MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. The government certification tests of a new missile for Russia's Iskander tactical system are to be completed by the end of this year, the general designer, Valery Kashin, has told TASS.

"We hope to be through with government certification tests by the end of 2015. But, as you understand, anything can happen," he said at a special ceremony of unveiling a memorial plaque commemorating Russian missile technologies designer, Sergey Nepobedimy.

Kashin didn't elaborate about the new missile’s parameters.

He broke the news the design bureau he was in charge of was working on a new missile in February last year. Several months later he declared that the work reached the phase of government certification.

The Iskander-M system currently in service is capable of hitting targets at distances of 50 to 500 kilometers.