Although not a “weapon” in the technological sense, Russian special forces represent one of the most effective tools in the Russian arsenal.  They will have a major impact in any conflict with NATO, possibly even before NATO realizes the conflict has begun.

Conclusion

There is little question that NATO weaponry remains technologically ahead of Russian.  The existence of a gap was clear in the 1980s, and the size of the gulf has grown since.  However, the Russian military still commands sufficient resources, and can harness enough innovative thinking, to hurt NATO if a European dispute ever came to blows.

We hope, of course, that these weapons (and their equivalents on the NATO side) fulfill their purpose as deterrents. Nevertheless, it behooves NATO to think hard about how to solve the problems that these weapons present, especially when used in conjunction with one another.

Robert Farley, a frequent contributor to TNI, is a Visiting Professor at the United States Army War College. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.