The
2S19 is the backbone of the Russian artillery forces and the first version of the self-propelled howitzer was introduced to the Russian army in 1989. The chassis and suspension of the 2S19 are based main battle tank chassis, with the suspension and running gear from the
T-80 tank and the power pack from the
T-72 Main Battle Tank.
The design of the 2S19 consists of three main parts with the driver compartment located at the front center of the hull, the turret in the center, and the powerpack at the rear. The hull and turret are of all-welded steel armor construction which provides protection from the firing of small arms, artillery shell splinters, and land mines.
The armament of the 2S19 includes one 2A64 152mm gun and one 12.7mm heavy machine gun mounted on the turret roof. The 152 mm 2A64 gun fires HE-FRAG (High-Explosive Fragmentation) round designated OF-45 to a maximum firing range of 24.7 km.