How did the US/USSR compare in force projection during the Cold War?

I'm not much of an expert, but IIRC the US largely had the edge in projecting force far beyond it's borders thanks to having a full blue water navy and superior air force.

If you weren't much more than a short drive away from the USSR - say Germany or Iran - the Soviets would have probably held the advantage, though.
 
How did the US/USSR compare in force projection during the Cold War, particularly the latter half?

At sea, there's no comparison: the USSR's navy, due to it's lack of carriers, had zero capacity to project at long range, outside of ground based air cover. Overland, it's a diferent case: the soviets had large numbers of airborne troops and the means to carry them, and large numbers of fighters to cover them, at least for an initial phase. But I'm not sure on their logistical capabilities to support them.
 
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