USS San Francisco (SSN 711), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the U.S. Navy to be named for San Francisco, California. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on August 1, 1975 and her keel was laid down on May 26, 1977. She was launched on October 27, 1979, sponsored by Mrs Robert Y. Kaufman, and commissioned on April 24, 1981, with Cmdr. J. Allen Marshall in command.

After initial shakedown operations, USS San Francisco joined the Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet and transited to her homeport of Pearl Harbor. While enroute, she conducted its initial visit to San Francisco, participating in Fleet Week 1981.

During its first operating cycle SSN 711 completed deployments to the western Pacific in 1982, 1985, and 1986, conducting a variety of operations and exercises as a member of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. The ship conducted independent submarine operations deployed to the northern Pacific in 1986 and 1988.

During a demanding Depot Modernization Period (DMP) at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in 1989-1990, USS San Francisco was equipped with the newest and most capable submarine sensor and combat systems and made fully ready to perform the variety of missions assigned to the submarine force.

Following the DMP, she completed sea trials and a series of rigorous certification inspections and returned to the fleet to resume operations. Two highly successful deployments to the western Pacific were completed in 1992 and 1994 with ports of call in Hong Kong, Singapore, Chinhae, South Korea, Guam, Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan. In December 1994, the nuclear submarine conducted a dependents cruise to Lahaina, Maui.

From June through December 1996, SSN 711 deployed to the western Pacific, visiting Yokosuka and Sasebo Japan; Subic Bay, Philippines and Guam.

In 2000, the Los Angeles-class attack submarine changed homeport to Norfolk Naval Station.

December 18, 2002 USS San Francisco arrived in Guam to join USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) as a member of Submarine Squadron 15. She arrived in Guam on schedule, even though the island was hit by Super Typhoon Pongsana Dec. 8. She is the second of three submarines to be homeported in Apra Harbor. The third submarine, yet unnamed, will arrive in 2004.

June 4, 2004 SSN 711 returned to Apra Harbor, Guam, after a five-month deployment in the western Pacific.

January 8, 2005 USS San Francisco ran aground while conducting submerged operations approximately 350 miles south of the island of Guam. The incident occurred at approximately 4 p.m., Jan. 7, Hawaii Standard Time (12 noon, Jan. 8, Guam Time). The extent of the injuries and damage is still being assessed, but includes one critical injury and several other lesser injuries. The submarine is on the surface and is making best speed back to its homeport in Guam.

January 10, The San Francisco arrived safely in Guam this afternoon. Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Joseph Allen Ashley, died Jan. 9 from injuries suffered during the accident. Twenty-three other Sailors were treated by medical teams dispatched out to the submarine for a range of injuries, including broken bones, lacerations, bruises and a back injury. The submarine had a crew of 137 at the time of the incident.

February 12, The commander of U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, relieved Cmdr. Kevin Mooney of his command of USS San Francisco. The decision to relieve Cmdr. Mooney was made following non-judicial punishment (NJP) proceedings held in Yokosuka, Japan.

May 9, The U.S. Navy announced today the completion of the investigation into the Jan. 8 accident aboard the submarine SSN 711 that claimed the life of one Sailor. She struck an undersea mountain about 360 miles southeast of its Guam homeport because its leaders and watch teams failed to develop and execute a safe voyage plan, the command investigation into the incident concluded. "The findings of fact show that San Francisco, while transiting at flank (maximum) speed and submerged to 525 feet, hit a seamount that did not appear on the chart being used for navigation", the 124-page report said of the incident in the vicinity of the Caroline Islands. "Other charts in San Francisco’s possession did, however, clearly display a navigation hazard in the vicinity of the grounding", it said. "San Francisco’s navigation team failed to review those charts adequately and transfer pertinent data to the chart being used for navigation, as relevant directives and the ship’s own procedures required. "If San Francisco’s leaders and watch teams had complied with requisite procedures and exercised prudent navigation practices, the grounding would most likely have been avoided. Even if not wholly avoided, however, the grounding would not have been as severe and loss of life may have been prevented".

August 17, USS San Francisco departed Apra Harbor, Guam, for a journey acrros the Pacific Ocean to her new homeport of Bremerton, Wash.

In June 2006 it was announced that San Francisco's bow section was to be replaced with that of the soon to be retired USS Honolulu (SSN 718) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Though the San Francisco is four years older than the Honolulu, she was refueled and upgraded in 2000-2002.

October 20, 2008 USS San Francisco returned to the water Oct. 10 after successfully undocking at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The attack submarine entered the dry dock Dec. 5, 2006, to begin the restoration period.

April 17, 2009 SSN 711 arrived in its new homeport at Naval Submarine Base Point Loma in San Diego, more than four years after an accident that costed U.S. Navy $136 million for the nose replacement repairs.