USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709) was the only ship of the U.S. Navy to be named for Admiral Hyman G. Rickover and the only Los Angeles-class submarine not named after a United States city. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on December 10, 1973, and her keel was laid down on July 24, 1981. She was launched on August 27, 1983, sponsored by the Admiral's wife, Mrs. Eleonore Ann Bednowicz Rickover. She was commissioned on July 21, 1984, with Capt. Fredrik Spruitenburg in command.

June 7, 2002 Cmdr. Kenneth L. Gray relieved Cmdr. Peter H. Young as CO of the Rickover.

USS Hyman G. Rickover began the year 2003 by conducting Sea Trials during the month of January following an Interim Drydocking at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. During the months of February through June, she conducted various individual exercises and supported various multi submarine exercises. In June, the nuclear submarine commenced pre-overseas movement workup, and conducted various exercises in preparation for the upcoming deployment through the months of July, August and September.

October 10, 2003 USS Hyman G. Rickover, assigned to Commander, Task Force 69, U.S. 6th Fleet, deployed to conduct joint operations in the northern Atlantic in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

April 10, 2004 SSN 709 returned to Norfolk after a six-month underway period. Visited ports of Tromso, Norway and Portsmouth, England.

August 12, 2005 Cmdr. Robert E. Cosgriff relieved Cmdr. Kenneth L. Gray as CO of USS Hyman G. Rickover.

October 17, Capt. Clarence E. Carter relieved Capt. Robert M. Hennegan as Commodore, Submarine Squadron 8 in a ceremony at Pier 3, Naval Station Norfolk, aboard the Rickover.

October 11, 2006 SSN 709 returned to Naval Station Norfolk after completing the six-month underway period. During the North Atlantic deployment, the nuclear attack submarine made port visits to Haakonsvern, Norway; Faslane, Scotland; and Rota, Spain. Scheduled to be inactivated in December, the end of this deployment marks the last homecoming after 22 years of successful service.

December 14, USS Hyman G. Rickover was inactivated in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station Pier 3 and will be transported to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, in early 2007 for the year-long inactivation process.

June 15, 2007 Cmdr. Troy E. Mong relieved Cmdr. Robert E. Cosgriff as CO of SSN 709. He will command the sub until the decommissioning of Rickover at Portsmouth Navy Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, next year. The Rickover will be towed in early spring 2008 through the Panama Canal to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash. There, the sub will be moored at the Inactive Nuclear Ship Storage Facility until the disposal process begins. Fifteen other defueled nuclear-powered ships are in floating storage at Puget Sound.

June 3, 2008 Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet ocean tug USNS Sioux (T-ATF 171) completed the successful seven-week tow of decommissioned nuclear submarine ex-USS Hyman G. Rickover to the Pacific Northwest May 30. While in Bremerton, ex-Rickover will go through a dismantling program overseen by the Navy. The submarine will remain moored at the shipyard until it is dry-docked for dismantlement and disposal, which is currently scheduled for 2016.