Bootsmann () is a naval rank used in some navies.

Germany

Boatswain
CountryGermany
AbbreviationBtsm
Rank groupNon-commissioned officer
Higher rankOberbootsmann
Lower rankObermaat
EquivalentsFeldwebel

The German term Bootsmann translates to Boatswain, i.e. the senior crewman of the deck department.

In a military context, Bootsmann (Btsm or B) is the lowest Portepeeunteroffizier (NCO with portepeé) rank in the German Navy. It belongs to the particular rank group Senior NCOs with port épée. It is grouped as OR6 in NATO, equivalent to Petty Officer First Class in the US Navy, and to Petty Officer in the British Royal Navy.

In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Bootsmann also informally / short Bootsmann.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffiziere mit Portepee

Russia

These names were adopted for the Russian Navy as botsman (боцман) botsmanmat (боцманмат) by Peter the Great, among many other Prussian and Holland military ranks; they were initially treated as positions rather than ranks.

NATO code

While the rank is used in a number of NATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country.

NATO codeCountry[1]English equivalent
UKUS
OR-7FinlandChief petty officer
OR-6Germany, Latvia, NetherlandsPetty officerPetty officer first class
OR-5NetherlandsPetty officer second class
OR-4PolandLeading ratePetty officer third class

See also

References

  1. ^ NATO (2021). STANAG 2116 NATO. 7th ed. Brussels, Belgium: NATO Standardization Agency. pp. E-1–E-3.