The nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Tucson (SSN 770) departed on a Western Pacific deployment from its homeport of Pearl Harbor March 21. According to Cmdr. James Pitts, Tucson’s commanding officer, the crew prepared by conducting standard pre-deployment upkeep and maintenance. “In the last few months we went through a fairly sizable maintenance period. We needed to make sure the equipment is up to standards for deployment,” said Pitts. He said overall, the crew handled the maintenance and training superbly. Pitts added that Tucson is one of the more advanced 688 improved-class submarines on the waterfront. They have one of the most advanced fire control systems…