A traveling wave type amplifier. The device features a pair of short helical input and output couplers through which an electron beam is projected. Application of an RF signal to the couplers serves to modulate the electron beam. A drift tube to be positioned between the couplers is dimensioned to attenuate the RF signal while permitting the modulated electron beam to pass through. An amplified output signal is extracted from the output helix. Gain of the tube is enhanced by a linearly decreasing magnetic focussing field.