I had the same feeling when the original EE came out, but back then it was due to ATGM spam, it seemed like everything that had a track on it and a sickle and hammer had an ATGM launcher bolted on top for luck, but that is how it is, that is what the Soviet designers did, so I guess that I can't complain too much.
The problem with NATO is that it's hard to balance since in the real life war scenario, NATO would have taken an absolute pounding, and the Soviets would have used spam wave assaults, usually with cheap units, and then sending in the more expensive units to drive a wedge into the cracks formed by the cheap unit spam.
The SAMs do need looking at though, I had a Hind throwing rockets at me in a game earlier from outside my Tracked Rapier range, given that the Rapier in real life can go up to 6km, and the S-5 rocket only 4, then that Hind should have received a guided missile in its face.
Equally though, there was a problem in the beta that the SAMs were a little too powerful and there was little point in actually using helicopters, but I think the SAMs got nerfed just a little too much.
Stick with it, it's hard and NATO can be very tough but you'll get there.
EDIT: The best SAM unit for Anti-helo in NATO seems to be the Chapparal A1, it can out range any PACT missile, guided or otherwise, and isn't a slouch against aircraft either.