[en] The very large energy fluxes required for the attainment of scientific breakeven in laser-fusion experiments can only be obtained by the construction of multiple-beam, large-aperture lasers. Accordingly, the next generation CO₂ laser currently being designed at LASL consists of six electron-beam sustained amplifier modules, each module containing 12 large-aperture (approximately 30 x 30 cm) laser discharges sustained by (and surrounding) a single, cylindrical cold-cathode electron gun. The large scale and cylindrical geometry combine to generate substantial electric and magnetic field effects which can affect the uniformity of the electron-beam distribution, causing a number of difficulties including discharge and gain nonuniformities and potential arcing. In an effort to learn the magnitude of the associated difficulties and test various solutions for reducing the effects, a prototype module was constructed. This prototype was constructed full scale in the dimensions which will produce the discharge nonuniformities and measurements were made of the electron beam uniformity, discharge uniformity, and gain uniformity under a wide range of experimental conditions. These results indicate that under worse case conditions and nonuniformities, while severe, are within acceptable limits and can be reduced even further by minor design changes. Perhaps more importantly, calculational models have been developed which agree adequately enough with the data so that they can be used with reasonable confidence as a data base for predicting the performance of the final design of the amplifier modules and the effects of any changes which may be required