A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine, the fuel injector comprising: a pilot fitting; a main fitting; a fuel stem having a fuel stem pilot passage proximate to and in fluid communication with the pilot fitting, and a fuel stem main passage proximate to and in fluid communication with the main fitting; and an injector head having an injector body including a fuel stem receiver encircling and connecting to the fuel stem, a main fuel gallery proximate to and in fluid communication with the fuel stem main passage, a first pilot fuel gallery proximate to and in fluid communication with the fuel stem pilot passage, a pilot assembly positioned within the injector body, said pilot assembly including an outer pilot surface, an inner pilot surface, a pilot shield, and a pilot tube, and a plurality of swirler vanes extending inward from the injector body to the pilot assembly, each of the plurality of swirler vanes including a swirler pilot passage extending from the injector body to the pilot assembly, the swirler pilot passage in fluid communication with the first pilot fuel gallery; characterised in that the pilot assembly further comprises a plurality of pilot struts spaced apart, each of the plurality of pilot struts having a strut pilot passage in fluid communication with the first pilot fuel gallery; wherein each pilot strut corresponds with a specific swirler vane and the number of pilot struts equal the number of swirler vanes and the strut pilot passages are in fluid communication with the swirler pilot passage and extend inward from adjacent the swirler pilot passage into the pilot shield, and wherein the pilot shield includes a portion of the strut pilot passage, a second pilot fuel gallery, a pilot tube inlet, pilot fuel passages, which connect with the second pilot fuel gallery at multiple locations, and a portion of the pilot tube; such that fuel is distributed from the first pilot fuel gallery to the strut pilot passages via the swirler pilot passages, through the strut pilot passages to the second pilot fuel gallery which collects the fuel from the strut pilot passages and distributed around the injector axis proximate to the pilot tube, through the pilot fuel passages, and from the second pilot fuel gallery to the pilot tube via the pilot fuel passages. a pilot fitting; a main fitting; a fuel stem having a fuel stem pilot passage proximate to and in fluid communication with the pilot fitting, and a fuel stem main passage proximate to and in fluid communication with the main fitting; and an injector head having an injector body including a fuel stem receiver encircling and connecting to the fuel stem, a main fuel gallery proximate to and in fluid communication with the fuel stem main passage, a first pilot fuel gallery proximate to and in fluid communication with the fuel stem pilot passage, a pilot assembly positioned within the injector body, said pilot assembly including an outer pilot surface, an inner pilot surface, a pilot shield, and a pilot tube, and a plurality of swirler vanes extending inward from the injector body to the pilot assembly, each of the plurality of swirler vanes including a swirler pilot passage extending from the injector body to the pilot assembly, the swirler pilot passage in fluid communication with the first pilot fuel gallery; characterised in that the pilot assembly further comprises a plurality of pilot struts spaced apart, each of the plurality of pilot struts having a strut pilot passage in fluid communication with the first pilot fuel gallery; wherein each pilot strut corresponds with a specific swirler vane and the number of pilot struts equal the number of swirler vanes and the strut pilot passages are in fluid communication with the swirler pilot passage and extend inward from adjacent the swirler pilot passage into the pilot shield, and wherein the pilot shield includes a portion of the strut pilot passage, a second pilot fuel gallery, a pilot tube inlet, pilot fuel passages, which connect with the second pilot fuel gallery at multiple locations, and a portion of the pilot tube; such that fuel is distributed from the first pilot fuel gallery to the strut pilot passages via the swirler pilot passages, through the strut pilot passages to the second pilot fuel gallery which collects the fuel from the strut pilot passages and distributed around the injector axis proximate to the pilot tube, through the pilot fuel passages, and from the second pilot fuel gallery to the pilot tube via the pilot fuel passages.