Europe should work together to develop its own armed drones, and in the meantime the German Army should rent them. So said German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, according to an article published by Süddeutsche Zeitung on July 1.

“I am convinced that we should develop a European armed drone,” she told the newspaper the day before a question and answer session on the subject in the German parliament, July 2. “We’re looking for partners for the project, which will take at least a decade.”

Germany currently uses reconnaissance drones in Afghanistan but lacks any armed drones.

Drones look increasingly like the future of aerial warfare. Cheaper and more expendable than a manned aircraft, they could make today’s fighter jets obsolete. Armed drones are vital to any aspiring military power.

In the short term, von der Leyen recommends leasing armed drones, the same way the army currently rents reconnaissance craft to get around the red tape of certifying unmanned aircraft for use in German airspace.

In the long term, however, Europe needs to ensure it is not relying on foreign technology, she said. “Once again, the nsa affair has made it clear to me what it means to lie dormant through 10 to 15 years of technological development and suddenly face the bitter reality of how dependent one is on others,” she said, adding that “Europe needs the capabilities of a reconnaissance drone so it is not permanently dependent on others.”

Drones are a contentious issue in Germany, both the Green party and the far-left Die Linke are against using them. Even some members of the center-left Social Democratic Party (sdp) are opposed.

To make matters worse, von der Leyen’s predecessor, Thomas de Maizière almost lost his job after the “Euro Hawk” fiasco, where Germany spent more than $800 million on a drone project from Northrop Grumman that could not be certified for use in EU airspace without substantial upgrades. The project was cancelled.

However, Germany’s coalition agreement recognizes the need for a European drone project, so in theory, Germany’s three main parties—who have an overwhelming majority in the parliament—are already committed to it. There’s no shortage of politicians willing to give an anti-drone sound bite to the news media, but any drone project should pass through parliament, even if some members of the sdp rebel against the government.

Watch for Europe to continue to develop its military capabilities, independent of American power.