The California (SSN 781) is the eighth Virginia-class submarine, and the eighth United States Navy ship named for the state of California. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding on August 14, 2003. Construction began on Feb. 15, 2006, with keel authentication occurring on May 1, 2009.

November 6, 2010 The Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) California is christened during an 11 a.m. ceremony at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va. Mrs. Donna Willard, wife of Adm. Robert F. Willard, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, served as sponsor of the ship. Cmdr. Dana A. Nelson is the prospective commanding officer; The ship was launched on Nov. 14.

July 2, 2011 The California returned to Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding after successfully completing its alpha sea trials.

August 7, U.S. Navy took delivery of PCU California from HII Newport News Shipbuilding more than eight-and-a-half months early to the contract date and nearly five months faster than NNS' previous delivery of New Mexico (SSN 779).

October 21, SSN 781 returned to Naval Station Norfolk after successfully completed a six-week weapons systems acceptance trials.

October 29, USS California was commissioned during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

January 6, 2012 The California arrived at its new homeport of Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn.

January 29, 2013 USS California returned to Naval Submarine Base New London after an 11-month Post Shakedown Availability (PSA) at the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard.

February 1, Cmdr. Shawn W. Huey relieved Cmdr. Dana A. Nelson as CO of the California during a change-of-command ceremony at the Naval Submarine Library and Museum in Groton.

May 12, 2014 USS California departed Naval Submarine Base New London for routine training.

June 8, The Virginia-class attack submarine arrived in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for emergent repairs; Undocked on June 30.

July 2?, USS California departed Groton for its maiden North Atlantic deployment.

October 14, The California moored at Carrier Pier 3 in Arsenal de Brest, France, for a three-day port call.

January 12, 2015 SSN 781 recently moored at Naval Station Rota, Spain, for a routine port call.

January 24, USS California returned to NSB New London after a six-month deployment. The sub traveled more than 40,000 n.m. and also made port calls to Faslane, Scotland; and Haakonsvern, Norway.

April 24, Cmdr. John E. Sager relieved Cmdr. Shawn W. Huey as the 3rd CO of California during a change-of-command ceremony on board the sub at NSB New London.

August 7, The California departed Naval Station Mayport, Fla., after a routine port call; Brief stop off NSB New London for personnel transfer on Aug. 17; Returned home on Aug. 18.?

October 16, The eighth Virginia-class attack submarine returned to homeport after a month-long underway for routine training. En route to Groton, USS California embarked federal, state and local officials to kick off "Connecticut’s Submarine Century," a yearlong celebration to commemorate the arrival of the first submarine to NSB New London.

November 5, USS California departed Port Canaveral, Fla., after a routine port call; Returned to Groton on Nov. 23.

February 4, 2016 The California returned to Naval Submarine Base New London after underway for routine training; Underway again on Feb. ?; Brief stop off Groton on Feb. 9; Underway for local operations on March ?; Brief stop off Groton on March 7 and 9th; Moored at Pier 10N on March 14; Underway again on April 2?.

May 1, SSN 781 moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral, Fla., for a brief stop to embark VIP guests.

May 2, USS California moored outboard the USS Cole (DDG 67) at Berth 21, Pier 7 in Port Everglades, Fla., for a week-long port visit to participate in annual Fleet Week celebration.

May 23, The California made a brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer; Returned home on May 25; Underway again on June 1?; Brief stop off Groton on June 21, June 24, July 11, 14 and 17th; Returned to NSB New London on July 20.

August 2, USS California departed homeport for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment.

November 5, The California moored at Her Majesty Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, for a mid-deployment voyage repairs.

January 12, 2017 SSN 781 recently moored at Berth 3, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, Spain; Conducted an ordnance loading exercise, in coordination with Navy Munitions Command Rota and Naval Submarine Support Facility (NSSF) New London, on Jan. 13; Underway on Jan. 18.

January 31, The California made a brief stop off Groton to embark Nuclear Propulsion Examination Board (NPEB) personnel for Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE).

February 2, USS California moored at Pier 8N on Naval Submarine Base New London following a six-month deployment. The sub traveled more than 30,000 nautical miles and also made port calls to Haakonsvern, Norway.

March 16, The Virginia-class attack submarine returned to homeport after a nine-day underway.

March 31, Capt. Brian L. Sittlow relieved Capt. John E. McGunnigle, Jr., as Commander, Submarine Squadron (COMSUBRON) 4, during a change-of-command ceremony on board the USS California at NSB New London.

May 2, USS California moored at Wharf D1 in Naval Station Mayport, Fla., for a brief stop; Moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral in conjunction with the Space Coast Submarine Birthday Ball from May 6-7; Returned home on May ?.

June 1?, The California departed homeport for Prospective Commanding Officer (PCO) operations; Moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral for a brief stop on June 19 and June 26; Moored at Pier 6N in Naval Submarine Base New London on June 2?.

July 7, Cmdr. David Payne relieved Cmdr. John E. Sager as CO of the SSN 781 during a change-of-command ceremony at Dealey Center theater on NSB New London.

July 12, USS California departed Naval Submarine Base New London for routine operations; Moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral for a brief stop on July 17; Conducted surface operations off Port Everglades on July 20; Brief stop off Groton on Aug. 4; Returned home on Aug. 11; Underway again on Oct. 6.

October 10, The California made a brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Groton again on Oct. 13 and Oct. 18; Moored at Electric Boat shipyard from Oct. 2?-31; Returned home on Nov. 2.

January 24, 2018 USS California moored at Naval Submarine Base New London after underway for routine operations.

March 2?, USS California departed homeport for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment.

June 3, The California departed HMNB Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, after a routine port call; Moored at HMNB Clyde again from Aug. 6-?.

September 21, USS California moored at Pier 8N on Naval Submarine Base New London following a six-month deployment. The sub traveled approximately 42,000 nautical miles and also made port calls to Haakonsvern, Norway.

February ?, 2019 SSN 781 departed Naval Submarine Base New London for routine operations; Brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer on Feb. 6 and 8th.

May 5, USS California moored pierside at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for a Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA); Entered the Dry Dock #3 on July 11.

March 13, 2020 Cmdr. James Henry relieved Cmdr. David Payne as CO of the California during a change-of-command ceremony at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's auditorium.

June 6, 2021 USS California departed Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for sea trials; Moored at Naval Submarine Base New London on June 12; Underway again on June 28; Moored at Pier 6N on July 2; Underway again on July 10; Brief stop off Groton on July 14.

August 11, The California arrived off the coast of South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility (SFOMF) for acoustic trials; Brief stop in Port Everglades on Aug. 12; Returned home on Aug. 16; Underway again on Aug. 21.

August 27, USS California made a brief stop off the coast of Groton for personnel transfer; Returned home on Sept. 2; Underway again on Sept. ?; Moored at Pier 17S on Sept. 11.

November 15, USS California moored at Pier 31S on Naval Submarine Base New London after underway for routine operations.

February 28, 2022 The California is currently moored at Pier 6N on Naval Submarine Base New London.

June 6, The California made a brief stop off the coast of Groton for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Groton again on June 17 and Aug. 8; Moored at Pier 8N on Aug. 11; Underway again on Aug. 25; Brief stop off Groton on Aug. 29, Sept. 2 and 7th; Moored at Pier 17S on Sept. 11.

September 16, USS California departed Groton for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment.

October 5, The California moored at Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, for a six-day port visit; Transited the Straits of Moyle westbound, just after midnight, on Oct. 12; Brief stop off Gourock, Scotland, for personnel transfer on Nov. 16.

December 8, USS California moored at Pier 6S on Naval Submarine Base New London following a nearly three-month deployment.

January 10, 2023 The California departed homeport for routine operations; Brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer on Jan. 13; Moored at Pier 6S on Jan. 16; Underway again on Jan. 18; Brief stop off Groton on Jan. 23; Moored at Pier 31N on Jan. 26; Moved to Pier 32N on Feb. ?.

March 17, USS California moored at Pier 17N on Naval Submarine Base New London after a four-day underway for routine operations; Underway again on March 27; Brief stop off Groton on April 1 and 4th; Brief stop off Naval Station Norfolk for personnel transfer on April 6, 12, 17 and 19th.

April 26, USS California moored at Pier 6N on Naval Submarine Base New London; Underway again from May 2-3.

May 5, Cmdr. Kenneth M. Kirkwood relieved Cmdr. James Henry as CO of the California during a change-of-command ceremony on board the sub.

May 12, USS California moored at Pier 32S on Naval Submarine Base New London after a three-day underway for routine training; Underway again on June 20; Brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer on June 26; Returned home on June 30; Underway again on July 17.

July 21, The California made a brief stop off Naval Station Norfolk for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Norfolk again on July 25; Brief stop off Groton on July 30; Moored at Pier 6N on Aug. 3.

August 18, USS California departed Groton for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment.

September 21, The California moored at Haakonsvern Naval Base, Norway, for a six-day port call; Moored at Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, from Nov. 21-28.

January 29, 2024 USS California made a brief stop off the coast of Lisbon, Portugal, for personnel transfer; Moored at Berth 3, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, Spain, from Feb. 2-6.

February 14, USS California moored at Pier 31N on Naval Submarine Base New London following a six-month deployment.

May 3, The California departed Naval Submarine Base New London for routine operations; Brief stop off Naval Station Norfolk for personnel transfer on May 6; Returned home on May 10; Underway again on May 15; Brief stop off Groton on May 21 and 23rd.

June 8, SSN 781 moored at Grotsund Terminal in Port of Tromso, Norway, for a brief stop.?

July 12, USS California moored at Pier 32S on Naval Submarine Base New London following a two-month underway, in support of national tasking, in the U.S. 2nd and 6th Fleet AoR; Underway again from Sept. 4-13 and Oct. 4; Brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer on Oct. 8; Moored at Pier 31N on Oct. 11; Underway again on Nov. ?.

December 5, The California made a brief stop off the coast of Groton for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Groton again on Dec. 10; Moored at Pier 31N on Dec. 12; Underway again on Jan. 8; Brief stop off Groton on Jan. 10.

January 17, 2025 USS California made a brief stop off Naval Station Norfolk for personnel transfer; Brief stop off Groton on Jan. 21; Moored at Pier 31N on Jan. 23; Underway again on March 12.