Of course, NATO slices through them like a hot knife through butter. Why the hell do you think Putin is risking everything to keep the NATO juggernaut off his border, 300 miles from Moscow? Look at what you type and ask yourself why? You want to show me some of your pre “Russia is a paper bear narrative” posts where you voice these same thoughts? Or did the thoughts come after the media handlers left their transmission on the highway when they threw the narrative on the Russian military in reverse. My position hasn’t changed since 1970. Anything from you pre three weeks ago.
I dont post this stuff because I havent had a reason to, on FR. I am an ancient wargamer and this is a hobby, for me. There has been a subculture of military enthusiasts for a very long time, reading history, keeping track of military developments and creating and playing simulations, what-ifs.
The “Janes” series of publications, compilung open source material, going back 120 years, though oriented to military professionals, was purchased mainly by these hobbyists.
In any case the announced numbers and specs of most of the equipment at play here, plus what we (you and I, if you pay attention) know about force structure and quality, can give us an idea of the military value of the possible players in a conflict. A close and obsessive reading of history can help guide the analysis.
As a way of guaging hobbyist intensity, I’ve been reading the US Naval Institute “Proceedings” since I was a kid, maybe around 1970. I had a subscription for thirty years, which I only gave up when the Internet gave us better data and analysis for nothing. And so also for “Aviation Week”, etc.
Also an example of sources of info - I have been a great fan of Jim Dunnigan since his “Strategy&Tactics” wargame days in the 1970’s. He was publishing his “Quick and Dirty Guide to War” series until a few years ago, and his website https://www.strategypage.com/default.aspx is a constant stream of “open source” articles. Thats just one of very many data sources outside the MSM.
I wouldn’t look to Nato right now for any offensive legions. You need to look at the nations on or near the Russian border (Poland, Baltics, Czech Republic, etc.), given some opportunity to mobilize, and their military potential, with the addition of air support from the more well equipped nations. Between them I am certain that they can crush any Russian offensive move through technological overmatch, and they can more than match Russian effective numbers given what we know about the Russian reserves.