Born in Manchester and spending the majority of his formative years on Anglesey, Adrian Fryer was educated at Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones in Amlwch and gained a BSc(Hons) in Maritime Geography from Cardiff University before joining the Royal Navy.
A warfare officer, specializing as a PWOA and then AAWO, sea appointments have been predominantly to destroyers but also include the Hunt, River and T23 Class. He has a wide range of operational experience from tours in Northern Ireland, where he led over 750 counter-terrorist boardings, the South Atlantic and the Middle East.
Sea Commands have included the Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS TYNE on Fishery Protection duties, and the Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel HMS CLYDE, protecting British interests in the South Atlantic. He assumed Command of HMS DAUNTLESS in 2012, completed the first T45 Capability Upgrade Period followed by regeneration and a successful Kipion 1 deployment as Air and Missile Defence Commander to the USS Carl Vinson BG conducting counter IS operations in the Gulf.
He has completed tours on the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training as the Above water lead, in the Headquarters as EA to ACNS CAP, in the US War College as the sole nonUS military professor responsible for the delivery of Joint Military Operations training and the Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies to US Joint Services. He was also the mentor for USN CO Desigs in Command and Leadership.
Returning from the US in 2018, he was appointed as EA to 2SL then took up assignment as Captain Patrol, Underwater Exploitation and Diving in Dec 19 and from there, in Mar 21 he deployed to Bahrain and assumed Command of Coalition Task Force Sentinel and the International Maritime Security Construct.
He assumes the role of UK Maritime Component Commander/Deputy Commander Combined Maritime Forces in January 2022.
He is an alumnus of the of both the Advanced Command and Staff Course (Shrivenham) and the Naval Command Course at the US Naval War College, Newport.
Family life with two young children happily dominates most of his time, but he is also a keen sportsman who enjoys mountain biking, road cycling, motorbiking, scuba diving and snowboarding.
