TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced Friday (Aug. 2) it has repaired 48 CM-32 “Clouded Leopard” infantry fighting vehicles.

According to a Friday press release, the MND’s Armaments Bureau said a routine inspection in July 2023 found that some vehicles had cracks on their landing plates.

Upon the bureau’s request, the contractor, Taiwan’s China Steel Machinery Corporation, along with Metal Industries Research and Development Centre (MIRDC), conducted a second inspection of the vehicle’s plates, per CNA. They found that the cracks were caused by welding defects.

The bureau said as of Thursday (Aug. 1), the front slant plates of two vehicles have been completely replaced, and the landing plate cracks of 48 vehicles have been repaired. Multiple tests have verified that the plates’ bulletproof functionality remained intact, it added.

The MND stressed it will work closely with contractors to review quality control measures and ensure combat readiness.