Single-mode operation of a TE-CO//2 laser was obtained using a 2 cm multiplied by 2 cm multiplied by 30 cm gain module in a Cassegrain resonator with a Gaussian reflectivity convex mirror to produce a fundamental mode of large cross sectional area, and reducing the pressure to 375 torr in a 50 cm long cavity to limit the oscillation to a single longitudinal mode. The 70 ns gain switched pulse (FWHM) had an energy of 175 mJ, a peak power of 2. 0 MW, a diffraction-limited far field, and a frequency chirp rate lower than 60 kHz/ mu s**2 .