No. 6 Squadron Globe Trotters
Active	1947 - Present
Country	Pakistan
Branch	Pakistan Air Force
Type	bomber/heavy airlift/airborne services
Role	Airborne service
Part of	No. 35 (Composite Air Transport) Wing of Northern Air Command
Assigned AHQ/Garrison	Chaklala Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Globe Trotters
Anniversaries	August 14
Engagements	Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 Indo-Pakistani War of 1999 Chagai Nuclear Testing Operation Chagai-II Operation Black Thunderstorm Operation Rah-e-Nijat Operation Red Flag Operation Snow Drop Operation Rah-e-Raast
Decorations	4xSitara-i-Juraat 1xImtiazi Sanad 2xTamgha-i-Jurat
Commanders
Notable commanders	Air Vice-Marshal Eric Gordon Hall Air Vice-Marshal Allan Perry-Keene Air-Commodore Mukhtar Dogar Air-Commodore Nazir Latif

The Number 6 Squadron Globe Trotters (otherwise known as No. VI (Bomber) Squadron) is a PAF Bomber squadron assigned to No. 35 Wing Composite Air Trans. The Globe Trotters was one of the first squadron in the service of Pakistan Air Force of the Pakistan Defence Forces.

The Globe Trotters is distinguished squadron of the PAF, having commanded by war heroes of Pakistan Air Force. The squadron performs airborne services/operations to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). It is currently assigned and station in Chaklala Air Force Base, and part of Northern Air Command of Pakistan Air Force^[1].

The squadron was formed on August 14, 1947 at Maripur, Karachi. While it was formed without any aircraft or equipment on its charge, its first Commanding officer was Flight-Lieutenant (Captain) M. J. Khan. On 16th August of 1947, Air Officer Commanding Air Vice Marshal visited the squadron and commissioned the squadron for heavy airlifting and airborne operations. The PAF acquired Douglas DC-3 or Dakota 22nd October, 1947. It was flown by the Flight Lieutenant A.K.S Ahmad. Meanwhile, the squadron acquired Bristol Freighter, Tiger Moth, and Auster aircraft.

On 29th June of 1948, a detachment of the squadron presented a guard of honour at Mauripur to the Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah on his arrival from Quetta. On 9th September 1948, three Dakota aircraft did the fly past at the Quaid-e-Azam's funeral ceremony.

The Globe Trotters were stationed in Peshawar on October 15th 1948. The Globe Trotters performed various airborne operations for the Pakistan Air Force as well as for the Pakistan Armed Forces. Many of its one-time commanding officers acceded to higher and general officers rank in Pakistan Air Force.

On 12th November, 1948, the Globe Trotters were assigned for an airdrop mission in Northern Areas of Pakistan. On 14th of Novermber, 1948, one Dakota aircraft engagedn supply dropping in the Northern Areas for the Pakistan Army. While on mission, the aircrat was attacked by two Indian Air Force's Tempest aircraft, but then-Flight Lieutenant (Captain) Mukhtar Ahmed Dogar brought the aircraft home safelyCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).</ref>. For this achievement, he was conferred with high military award and became first PAF officer to achieve the honor. On 22nd February, 1949, the Globe Trotter's Dakota performed the first landing at Gilgit; in the following month was made a landing at Skardu.

In 1950, the PAF launched "Operation Snow Drop" which was commenced by the Globe Trotters. As part of the operation, the Globe Trotter was stationed at Lahore where during the ravaging floods of September, 1950, it was called upon to fly continuously on reconnaissance, photo recce and supply dropping sorties^[2].

Governor of Punjab Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar presented the Imtiazi Sanad — the fifth highest Pakistani military award. In 1953, the Globe Trotter delivered and air drop more than 800,00 lbs of food supplies in the Northern Areas. The Globe Trotters completed 780 hours of flying. In 1955, the Globe Trotters demonstrated supply dropping during an air display witnessed by the hundreds of PAF officers. On 20th September, 1959, the Globe Trotters were permanently stationed at Chaklala Air Force Base, Chaklala, Punjab Province.

During the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, the No. XI Squadron Globe Trotters performed their first airborne operations. The Globe Trotters took participation in Operation Gibraltar — a failed airborne operation of Pakistan Army. Around 200 paratroopers belonging to SSG Division and 50th Airborne Division were air dropped at night. During the conflict, its commanding officer Wing-Commander (Lieutenant-Colonel]] Eric Gordan Hall struck upon the idea of converting the Globe Trotters into night heavy bomber aircraft^[3]. Under his command, the Globe Trotters raided against battlefield targets with up to 22,000 lbs of HE bombs. The Globe Trotters took participation in Battle of Chawinda where hundreds of 50th Airborne Division's 14th Paratrooper Brigade under the command of Brigadier A.A.K. Niazi were parachuted. For this, the Eric G. Hall and other seven officers were conferred with high civil and military awards. Even after the 1965 war, the airdrop missions were continued by the PAF in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.

During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the Globe Trotters came under intense pressure. The C-130 aircrafts were used to evacuate large sum of Pakistan Armed Forces personnel as well as friendly East-Pakistani citizens from hostile areas. Its one of the C-130 aircraft is credited to pulled out 365 people from Sylhet to Dhaka in one C-130 sortie. At the end of the war, one C-130 aircraft made a very successful attack against Jaisalmer and inflicted heavy damage upon the IAF's technical complex there. For this, the crew was awarded a high-civil award.

The bomber squadron saw the aerial action during the Pakistan war in Afghanistan. In September 1995, Afghan insurgents had attacked the Pakistan Embassy. The embassy was destroyed and left one killed while dozens were injured including the Pakistan Ambassador to Afghanistan. On 7 September 1995, a C-130 aircraft with Group Captain Hassan Nayyar as Mission Commander was sent to Kabul for the recovery and evaluation of the embassy staff^[4]. The Army and Navy dispatched commandos belonging to SSG(N), SSG Division, and the 50th Airborne Division.

The aircraft landed under very hostile conditions and the crew still managed to evacuate the personnel within half an hour. In 2009, the Globe Trotters performed hundreds of airborne mission, including the operations commenced by the Pakistan Army. The Globe trotters parachuted hundreds of Pakistan's paratroopers in the Swat Valley and took participation in South-Waziristan operations. During the Operation Black Thunderstorm, Operation Rah e Raast and the Operation Rah-e-Nijat, the Globe Trotters parachuted thousands of Pakistan Armed Forces personnel and continuously flown the aircraft day and night.

On May of 1998, the Globe Trotters flown the 5-6 nuclear devices which were in CKD sub-assembly form, from Rawalpindi to Chagai. The C-130 aircraft was given an escort by 4 F-16 Falcon jets of No. 11 Squadron Arrows— the aggressor squadron of PAF^[5]. The mission was carried out in extreme secrecy, and the security of No.6 Squadron Globe Trotters was extremely strict. The fighter pilots of No. 11 Squadron Arrows were secretly given standing order that in the unlikely event of the C-130 being hijacked or flown outside of Pakistani airspace, they were to shoot down the aircraft before it left Pakistan’s airspace. The radio communications equipment turned off, and they were instructed to ignore any orders to the contrary that got through to them during the duration of the flight even if such orders originated from Air Headquarters^[6].

• No. 6 Squadron Globe Trotters
• Globe Trotters