A Q‐controlled Nd:glass ring laser system has been developed which is actively mode‐locked by means of either KD*P or LiNbO3electro‐optic modulators and is capable of producing 1.5 mJ, 100 ps, 1.06 &mgr;m pulses synchronized to better than 400 ps to an external event. By using prelase methods or saturable absorbers shorter pulses from 37 to 15 ps duration can be generated with poorer synchronization.