The Iron Beam laser air-defence system will be ready for deployment in a year, the Israeli Defence Ministry reported on Monday on signing a contract with defence contractors Rafael and Elbit. The contract is valued at more than 2 million Israeli shekels ($540 million). “This agreement rings in a new era – the era of laser defence,” Defence Ministry Director-General Eyal Zamir said, according to the ynet news portal. Iron Beam has been developed to destroy short-range rockets, artillery, mortar bombs, drones and cruise missiles and is intended as a low-cost addition to the country’s air defence…