[dragoon500ly]

This is going to be a tough one!

A lot will depend on just how sure the USSR was that it would have to go to war. If the decision was made earlier enough, then I would reasonably expect a surge in KGB operations to shut down Western intelligence operations within Russia. There would also be in increase in countermeasures to conceal military activities from the various recon satellites.

There would certainly be a higher level of training and a lot more combined arms training than normal. There would even be limited call-up of Category II divisions (bringing them up to Category I readiness). Would the Russians risk alerting NATO/China by moving units closer to the border? The presence of the US/UK and French Military Liasion Missions in East Germany would argue against any moves there, but a couple of border skirmishes along the Soviet-Sino border are very likely, justifying the movement of "reserves".

Almost certainly older, less-capable equipment will be modernized or replaced by newer equipment.

The Western response will be intresting to say the least. Certainly the post-Cold War decommissionings would be delayed or canceled. As for calling up the defense reserve fleet? Doubtful at best, more likely would by STUFT programs to gather enough hulls. If any crisis takes place (the Sino-Soviet War for example), then I can see the more capable reserve ships being activated.

I would also expect to see a major diplomatic effort on the part of the Soviets, to "convience" the West that there is nothing to fear. The Tom Clancy novel Red Storm Rising is an excellent source for this line. Anything that would convience the political leadership of the West that the intelligence/military chiefs are "over-reacting".