| Hauptbootsmann | |
| Rank insignia | German NCO rank |
| Introduction | 1955 |
| Rank group | Non-commissioned officers |
| Navy | Hauptbootsmann |
| Army / Air Force | Hauptfeldwebel |
| OR-7 / OR-8 | |
| Army/Navy | |
| Air Force | Senior Master Sergeant |
Hauptbootsmann (HptBtsm or in lists HB) designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces.[1] It belongs to the particular rank group Senior NCOs with port épée.
According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Officer Aspirant (OA – de: Offizieranwärter) rank Oberfähnrich zur See (Marine) and to and Hauptfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe. It is grouped as OR7 and OR-8[2] in NATO, equivalent to First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, or Senior Chief Petty Officer in the US Armed forces, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.
In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr/ Frau Hauptbootsmann also informally / short Hauptbootsmann.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffiziere mit Portepee
| junior Rank Oberbootsmann | Hauptbootsmann | senior Rank Stabsbootsmann |
| Oberfähnrich zur See |
See main article: Ranks of the German Bundeswehr.
See main article: Ranks and insignia of NATO navies enlisted.