laukaisukohtien

Laukaisukohtien is the Finnish term for firing positions or launch points, referring to the physical locations from which weapons are operated. In military usage the term covers artillery emplacements, machine-gun nests, rocket launch sites, and other sites that allow controlled firing while offering protection and concealment. The word is a compound built from the verb lau-kaista meaning to fire and the noun kohti or kohta meaning place, yielding roughly “the place from which firing occurs.”

In fortification and defense planning, laukaisukohtien are designed to provide adequate fields of fire, observation, and mutual support, while also enabling camouflage, shelter, and supply of ammunition. They are typically integrated with trenches, revetments, and bunkers, and are sited to exploit terrain features such as ridges, slopes, or natural cover. The arrangement aims to balance firepower, protection, and logistical practicality.

Historical usage is common in Finnish military literature and war histories, where defenses along borders or within fortifications are described in terms of firing positions. The concept is discussed in the context of early 20th-century defense planning as well as later analyses of mobile and static combat operations. In contemporary references, laukaisukohtien are mentioned in discussions of doctrine, training facilities, and the planning of shooting ranges and defense installations.

Equivalent terms in English include firing position or emplacement. The concept remains a general term for the strategic and tactical locations from which weapons are operated, covered by standard principles of safety, accuracy, and field of view.