Flying one of the world's most lethal warplanes makes Yu Xu, Tao Jiali, Sheng Yifei and He Xiaoli different from others their age.

The four women in their late 20s - China's first female fighter jet pilots - have launched an "aerobatic charm offensive" on tens of thousands of visitors at a major air show in Malaysia, the first such performance by Chinese female pilots outside China.

"This is our first time flying out of our territorial sky and performing at an international air show, which means a lot to us," Yu said after taking part in a performance on Tuesday at the biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, one of the biggest defense equipment shows in the Asia-Pacific.