The USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) is a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine constructed for the United States Navy. She was the fourth vessel to bear the name, honoring the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The contract for her construction was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 16 April 1979. Her keel was laid down on 15 April 1983, marking the start of her construction, and she was launched on 8 December 1984. Following testing and commissioning, USS Pittsburgh officially entered service on 23 November 1985. Designed as a fast, stealthy submarine capable of a variety of missions, the USS Pittsburgh played an active role in U.S. naval operations. Notably, she participated in combat during Operation Desert Storm on 2 April 1991, when she, along with USS Louisville, conducted submarine-launched Tomahawk missile attacks against Iraq. Her operational capabilities were further demonstrated during Operation Iraqi Freedom, when she deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in October 2002 and launched Tomahawk missiles into Iraq. She returned from this deployment on 27 April 2003. Throughout her service life, USS Pittsburgh remained an integral part of the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet. Her final deployment concluded on 25 February 2019, when she returned to her homeport at Naval Submarine Base New London. Subsequently, she arrived at Bremerton, Washington, in May 2019 for inactivation and decommissioning preparations. She was officially deactivated on 17 January 2020 at the Undersea Warfare Museum in Keyport, Washington, and later decommissioned on 15 April 2020, exactly 37 years after her keel was laid. Her decommissioning marked the end of her distinguished 35-year service, with her crew released and her final commanding officer, Commander Jason Deichler, reflecting pride in her legacy.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.