Abstract: A pumped fiber laser including turns of optical fiber defining a wound pack, wherein the optical fiber includes a core, a cladding around the core and a concentric layer of a porous glass matrix material, such as sol-gel, around the cladding. The fiber laser further includes a pumping laser, preferably in the form of a semiconductor laser bar, having lasing regions each being operable to generate light, and a wedge device for directing the light from the lasing regions into the side of the optical fiber at a plurality of different turns thereof, respectively.