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Source: Huanqiu.com

[Global Network Report] According to reports from Taiwan media such as "ETtoday News Cloud" on August 2, some media broke the news that the bulletproof steel plates of the "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicles independently manufactured by the Taiwan military had cracks. Among them, 27 were machine gun mounted infantry combat vehicles manufactured within two years, and the other 23 were mounted infantry combat vehicles and mounted infantry command vehicles that had exceeded the warranty period. In response, the "Armament Bureau" of the Taiwan Defense Department responded today (2nd) that the Taiwan Army discovered a crack in the landing plate of a "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicle in July last year, and then conducted a comprehensive inspection. As of August 1 this year, the front inclined plates of two vehicles have been replaced, and the cracks in the landing plates of 48 vehicles have been welded and repaired.

Data map of the "Clouded Leopard" armored vehicle from Taiwan's United Daily News

Taiwan's online media "Ling Media" reported on the 2nd that cracks appeared on the bullet-resistant steel plates of many Taiwan military's "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicles, and officers and soldiers were worried that they would become "iron coffins on the battlefield."

"ETtoday News Cloud" reported that regarding the relevant situation, the "Armament Bureau" stated that when the Taiwan Army conducted an equipment inspection in July last year, it found a crack on the landing plate of a "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicle, and subsequently conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Taiwan Army's "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicles. The "Armament Bureau" asked the contractor China Steel Machinery Corporation (steel plate manufacturer) and assisted the third-party unit Metal Industry Research and Development Center to conduct physical testing of the body steel plate. It was found that cracks were caused by factors such as poor welding, and then improvement work was carried out.

Taiwan's Armaments Bureau said that as of August 1 this year, it had completed the replacement of the front ramps of two vehicles and the welding repair of cracks in the landing plates of 48 vehicles. After multiple tests by the Physical and Chemical Laboratory of the 209th Plant of the Armaments Bureau, the bulletproof functions were verified to be safe. The Armaments Bureau said that it will work with contractors to conduct a thorough review of quality management and other operations, and implement after-sales services.

In this regard, some netizens on the island commented, "This should be a procurement fraud case, right? Then what?"

Some netizens also sarcastically said, "Clouded Leopard is more suitable for performing in disaster areas, but should think twice before going into battle!"

The "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicle is one of the "important weapons" of the Taiwan military. It was jointly developed by the Taiwan Army Ordnance Preparation Development Center, the "Industrial Technology Research Institute" and the "Armament Bureau". The report mentioned that the "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicle had steel plate cracks when it was produced in small batches in 2006, but the Taiwan Defense Department did not admit it. It was not until June 2008 that Lin Yufang, then a Kuomintang legislator, revealed during a questioning in the Taiwan Legislative Yuan that four of the 14 "Clouded Leopard" eight-wheeled armored vehicles produced in small batches had serious cracks in the steel plates and chassis. The Taiwan Defense Department then urgently suspended production.