A variable vane system for a gas turbine engine, comprising an actuator, a harmonic drive comprising a strain wave gearing mechanism comprising a fixed circular spline, a flex spline attached to an output shaft, and a wave generator attached to an input shaft driven by the actuator, the flex spline driven by the wave generator with respect to the circular spline, a drive gear driven by the output shaft along a first axis, and an actuator gear mounted to one of a multiple of variable vanes along a second axis transverse to the first axis, the actuator gear driven by the drive gear.