Combustor swirler with vanes incorporating open area

A combustor for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a dome structure;
• at least one swirler assembly connected with the dome structure;
• and
• a combustor liner connected with the dome structure,
• wherein at least one of the at least one swirler assembly includes (a) a primary swirler including a plurality of primary swirler swirl vanes arrayed about an axis of the swirler assembly, and (b) a secondary swirler including a plurality of secondary swirler swirl vanes arrayed about the axis of the swirler assembly, and the plurality of primary swirler swirl vanes includes a first ring of first sub-vanes and a second ring of second sub-vanes, the first ring of first sub-vanes and the second ring of second sub-vanes being separated by a gap therebetween.