As far as I noticed, it does increase speed slightly. Not as much as before but it still does.
If we’re going back to P2W, this squad does still offer something no other squad does - 7x same soldier type and specifically the soldier type that has the best CQC capabilities.
With decreased soldiers progression. If you see this as no problem - its fine.
Soldier progression is not something where you win or lose so it is irrelevant to the topic pay to win. If one team has squads better suited to clearing and capturing points, thanks to this prem squad, they are more likely to win in equal skill matches.
Its much more relevant as soldiers will create at least half of the differences in battles. I would say soldiers progression is exactly same important as weapons progression. You cant just ignor this. Well, you can, but its up to you, i wouldnt recommend. While campaign progression itself is not important at all, because having an option to play something doesnt really means you’re playing it.
The premium squad gives an advantage in early game and late game.
Early because maxed out soldiers
Late game because 7 assaulters
During midgame you could have a slight disadvantage because of slower leveling speed for your soldiers.
You need campaign progression to get the weapon crates, as well as the ability to have certain weapons, such as the MP40 or MG13
First of all this is not endgame. Endgame is where you already have your campaign unlocked, all weapons there, all squads leveled up.
You can do it in a months easily. But you wont be able to get 21 soldiers of “veteran” quality in a month, nor in two or three. If you want to burn at least half of klls made by premium units from start to the end game - its your issue, just dont call this advantage, because thats not true 
While someone gains 100% exp from his battles you’re simply going to waste each and every kill made my that ‘superior’ soldiers, from the early game, till the end game, for many many months.
Are you willing to exp soldiers with 30% debuff? Every experienced mmo player would say its not effective, not how you should plan and grind. Soldiers exp is exactly the place where game grind sits.
I focus mostly on equipment myself as that makes the most impact to me. The slight perk disadvantage I would have can be made up for by my experience with the game.
Unfortunately equipment progression will end faster than you think:) While the perk disadvantage kicks in a the very late stage, when you have 4-5 stars at least (veterans might be op).
Through if you aim to make 21 machineguns of max quality - yeah, that task is definitely challenging. Then again, i dont think you gain more crates from campaign ep. Crates are given based on battlefield results, imho. However if you aim for the kills, then its true, personal score meta = more crates, theoretically.
I kinda agree with @627636. Campaign progression is not that difficult if you play regularly. Having an OP squad that can get you a lot of kills is an obvious advantage when it comes to campaign but once you finish it, you are left with the OP squad that’s maxed, and whatever other squads you use often. Most probably an SMG squad which leaves you with a single squad for progressing. The SMG squad can be maxed out in no time.
Instead if you start with the free squads, you are upgrading all your squads and troops from the start. The XP is distributed pretty much evenly between troops and squads.
This is only if you play the game for progression. I certainly do. The SMG is my only permanent squad. The rest gets moved around depending on the upgrades needed. I don’t see a reason to play the game otherwise.
I took the meta approach pre reset from time to time and I was left wondering in the end why don’t I have upgrades for the SVT. It only happens if you play the engineer squad. So having one engineer in squad is not really the end of the story. At the end of the campaign you are in the middle of nowhere with the paid squads.
going back to the main topic,
despise what @627636 and @5762269 are arguing about, which don’t get me wrong, both of you have really good points. even if you two are still counter -arguing for honest reasons.
we could agree that it’s personal. but when talking about premium stuff and see what do we have here, it cannot be denied that this system is going to somewhat, hurt the normal play system based on skills.
and i still wished that the game wasn’t going to be a free to play. but i guess it’s too late for change that.
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Its not too late, but honestly to say i dont believe its still a decision to be made. Thats why i mainly focus on discussing how good or bad current implementation is, if its p2w or not or light, because i see no other way, pretty sure we are now tied to the free2play mechanics and all we can influence for now is amount/quantity and maybe (just maybe) type of premium stuff, if we manage to provide enough arguments in good quality and quantity.