USS Jacksonville is the 12th Los Angeles-class nuclear powered attack submarine and the first ship in the U.S. Navy to bear the name of the city in northern Florida. The contract to build the Jacksonville was awarded on January 24, 1972, her keel was laid over four years later on February 21, 1976 and she was launched on November 18, 1978, sponsored by Mrs. Charles E. Bennett, and commissioned on May 16, 1981, with Capt. Robert B. Wilkinson in command.

Jacksonville’s operations have included a variety of fleet exercises and deployments including two around-the-world cruises in 1982 and 1985, deployments to the western Atlantic Ocean in 1983, 1986, 1993 and 1994, and deployments to the Mediterranean Sea in 1987 and 1993. In 1988, USS Jacksonville participated in a shock trials test program for the Los Angeles-class submarines, which was followed by a three year major modernization overhaul in Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

May 17, 1996 SSN 699 crashed into the Saudi Makkah cargo ship in thick fog in the Chesapeake Bay. Both ships suffered significant damage but no one was injured. Jackonville's captain was relieved of command two weeks later.

May 13, 2003 Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) completed its second consecutive Interim Drydocking (IDD) availability early and under budget, when it returned the nuclear submarine USS Jacksonville to the Fleet in 2003. The Jacksonville IDD began on December 9, 2002, in the floating drydock Resolute (AFDM-10) at Naval Station Norfolk. The list of critical path work items included preservation of 20 internal tanks, Special Hull Treatment (SHT) replacement, restoration of main seawater hull and backup valves, preservation of all main ballast tanks, steering and diving system inspection and repair, including removal and restoration of the Fairwater planes, restoration of some ventilation valves and the use of four hull cuts.

December 19, USS Jacksonville, commanded by Cmdr. Michael W. Brown, returned to Naval Station Norfolk after a three-month deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

December 20, 2004 A small fire broke out aboard USS Jacksonville while she was undergoing a refueling overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The fire was immediately extinguished and the reactor was never in danger, though a shipyard firefighter and a sailor were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

June 22, 2007 SSN 699 pulled to Mayport, Fla., for a port visit to namesake city.

May 30, 2008 USS Jacksonville departed Norfolk for its first deployment after more than four years.

November 24, USS Jacksonville returned to homeport after a six-month underway period in support of maritime security operations.

December 12, Cmdr. Tyler L. Meador relieved Cmdr. John Kropcho III, as CO of SSN 699, who retired at the ceremony after serving the Navy for 24 years.

March 6, 2009 The Jacksonville departed Naval Station Norfolk, for its new homeport of Pearl Harbor, as part of the 60/40 split of submarine force assets, between the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets, as designated in the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review.

April 3, USS Jacksonville arrived at Pearl Harbor Naval Station for the first time.

June 2, 2010 USS Jacksonville departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for a scheduled western Pacific deployment.

August 27, The Los Angeles-class attack submarine pulled into Fleet Activities Yokosuka for a routine port call.

October 16, SSN 699 departed Sepangar Naval Base after a five-day port visit to Malaysia.

December 2, USS Jacksonville returned home after a six-month underway period.

February 4, 2011 Cmdr. Nathan B. Sukols relieved Cmdr. Tyler L. Meador as CO of the Jacksonville during a change-of-command ceremony at Pearl Harbor.