MSTA-S comprises a turret mounted on a tracked armoured 6 x 6 chassis which has been based on elements of the T-72 and T-80 main battle tanks. It is manufactured by Uraltransmash of Ekaterinberg, Russia. Uraltransmash also produce a towed version, called MSTA- B, and have developed two new variants, 2S19M with a computerised fire control system and 2S19M1 with a NATO standard 155 mm gun.

The howitzer's 152 mm gun is the 2A64, manufactured by the Barrikady State Production Association, Volgograd, Russia, which produces a variety of large-caliber artillery armament for the Russian Army and Navy. Elevation is from +68 to -3 degrees with 360 degree traverse.

There is also a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun that is remotely controlled by the commander. Three smoke grenade dischargers are mounted on each side of the turret.

50 rounds of ammunition for the howitzer gun are carried onboard and 300 cartridges for the machine gun.

MSTA-S fires a variety of ammunition - HE-FRAG (high explosive fragmentation), HE-FRAG with base gas bleed, cluster projectiles with fragmentation submunitions and the Krasnopol laser-guided 152 mm projectile. It can also fire the 3RB30 jammer carrying projectiles which set up radio intereference to disrupt enemy communications. These have a range of 22 km and can jam frequencies between 1.5 to 120 MHz to a radius of 700 m.

The Krasnopol projectile has been developed by the KBP Instrument Making Design Bureau, Tula, and is designed to defeat armoured vehicles and weapon emplacements. It has inertial mid-course guidance and semi-active laser homing. The laser seeker is produced by LOMO of St Petersburg. The projectile has a range of 3 to 20 km, and can hit a target by the first shot without registration. Krasnopol is designated by the 1D15 (1D22) laser designator and has a 1A35 shot synchronisation system.

Ammunition and gun loading, laying and retargeting are highly automated, allowing maximum firing rate of 8 rounds per minute with onboard rounds and 6-7 rounds per minute with rounds from the ground. A battery of 8 MSTA-S can deliver 3 tons of projectiles on a target in one minute. The laying control system is co-ordinated with the fire control vehicle. All the onboard ammunition is stored in the turret and a mobile reloading tray allows loading and firing at all angles of laying without needing the gun to return to the loading position. A charge loading mechanism is also provided. The system provides automatic gun loading for projectiles and semi-automatic loading for charges. All the gunner has to do is hold the panoramic sight on the laying point. The commander also has control of the firing and laying equipment.

The design of the ammunition rack allows different types of projectiles to be stored in the same rack. The automatic loading mechanism can select the type of ammunition and control the loading and the number of rounds. Used ammunition cases are ejected automatically to reduce the build-up of waste gases.

There are separate conveyers in the rear of the turret that allow the loading of ground ammunition. Before the howitzer starts off, the projectile conveyer is folded and fixed on the turret and the charge conveyer is folded inside the turret.

The 2S19 is powered by a diesel engine with direct injection and mixed supercharge. It is a high-speed, four-cycle, multi-fuel, liquid-cooled engine. The diesel engine has a maximum power of 574 to 617 kW (780 to 840 horsepower).

The running gear has torsion bar suspension with an adjustable damping system and automatic block mechanism without stabilising spades. Road speed is 60 km/hour with a range of 500 km.