The fleet ballistic submarine USS Nebraska is the second U.S. Naval ship to be named in honor of the 37th state of the Union. The contract to build the was awarded on May 26, 1987 to General Dynamics. The keel was laid on July 6, 1987 and she was launced roughly five years later on August 15, 1992. SSBN 739 was delivered to the Navy on June 18, 1993 and was commissioned on July 10, 1993.

USS Nebraska development was based on extensive considerations of all aspects of survivability and capabilities required in a seabased deterrent platform designed for operations through the next century. She incorporates the new, more quiet machinery that cannot be installed in other fleet ballistic missile submarines because of space and weight constraints. It has an advanced sonar system, comparable to that developed for the United States Navy's newest attack submarines. This sonar suite is capable of providing long-range detection and a more effective capabilities for tracking other ships or submarines. Key features of SSBN 739 include: improved maintainability, reliability, and availability resulting from modular replacement concepts of major equipment, improved design and incorporation of integrated logistics support. She has additional growth potential to accommodate future technology as it becomes available, both in ship systems and in larger missiles. High patrol speeds will greatly increase ocean operating area, providing the ability to avoid potential enemies, thus enhancing survivability.

June 26, 1994 The Trident-class submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) departed for its first strategic patrol.

USS Nebraska (Blue) conducted its 12th strategic deterrent patrol from June to October 1997. She transited more than 16,800 miles, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and navigating the Mediterranean Sea to her mid-patrol destination of the Greek island of Crete. The submarine had been at sea nearly two months, and had patrolled thousands of miles of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, when she surfaced to enter her destination and liberty port, Souda Bay, Crete.

August 12, 2004 SSBN 739 departed Kings Bay, Georgia, for its new homeport in Bangor, Washington. CO (Blue) Cmdr. Lee Olson said 165 crew members and families from the Blue crew departed for the cross-country drive a week earlier to establish operations and prepare for Nebraska’s arrival in Bangor in a few months.

October 20, USS Nebraska, commanded by Cmdr. Chris Haugen (Gold), arrived for the first time in Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. She is the third Trident submarine in as many years to leave Kings Bay for the Pacific Fleet. The move is part of the Navy’s goal of balancing the Atlantic and Pacific Trident fleets at seven boats each. The Navy will decommission its four oldest Ohio-class submarines, USS Ohio (SSBN 726), USS Florida (SSBN 728), USS Michigan (SSBN 727) and USS Georgia (SSBN 729) during the next several years, and then overhaul and convert them from fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) to guided-missile submarines (SSGN).

September 22, 2008 A Sailor assigned to USS Nebraska died on Sept. 20 in an apparent accident while the submarine was conducting operations near the island of Oahu, Hawaii.