Oberstabsbootsmann

Oberstabsbootsmann (OStBtsm or OSB) is the highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in the German Navy. It is grouped as OR9 in NATO, equivalent to a Master Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy, and a Warrant Officer Class 1 in the British Royal Navy.

In Navy context, NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr/ Frau Oberstabsbootsmann also informally/ short Oberstaber.

The rank was introduced in the German Navy equivalent to the German Heer and German Luftwaffe grad Oberstabsfeldwebel in 1995, and belongs to the grad group Unteroffiziere mit Portepee.

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

Unteroffiziere mit Portepee

The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!
 * OR-9: Oberstabsbootsmann / Oberstabsfeldwebel
 * OR-8: Stabsbootsmann / Stabsfeldwebel
 * OR-7: Hauptbootsmann / Hauptfeldwebel
 * OR-6a: Oberbootsmann / Oberfeldwebel
 * OR-6b: Bootsmann / Feldwebel
 * Remark:


 * See also:

Equivalent in other NATO countries

 * Flag of Belgium.svg – Maître principal-Chef (Oppermeester-Chef) and Maître-principal (Oppermeester)
 * Flag of Canada.svg – Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer, and Chief Petty Officer 1st Class
 * Flag of Croatia.svg – Časnički namjesnik
 * Flag of Denmark.svg – Chefsergent
 * Flag of France.svg – Major and Maître principal
 * Flag of Greece.svg – Ανθυπασπιστής/ Anthypaspistis
 * Flag of Iceland.svg – Petty officer/ specialist
 * Flag of Italy.svg – capo di prima classe
 * Flag of Netherlands.svg – Adjudant-onderofficer
 * Flag of Norway.svg – No Equivalent
 * Flag of Poland.svg – Starszy chorąży sztabowy marynarki, Starszy chorąży marynarki
 * Flag of Portugal.svg – Sargento-mor
 * Flag of Spain.svg – Suboficial mayor, Subteniente
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg – Warrant Officer Class 1
 * Flag of the United States.svg – Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Command master chief petty officer, and Master chief petty officer
 * See also:

Germany
The rank has never been used before by the Reichsmarine, the Kriegsmarine as well as in the GDR Volksmarine.

Austria-Hungary
Oberstabsbootsmann was the highest senior NCO-rank in the k.u.k. Austro-Hungarian Navy (1786 until 1918). It was equivalent to the ranks Stabsfeldwebel (Törzsörmester) / Stabswachtmeister / Stabsfeuerwerker / Stabsoberjäger of the k.u.k. Common Army.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group was as follows:
 * Oberstgabsbootsmann
 * Stabsbootsmann
 * Unterbootsmann


 * See also: