This paper presents a novel equivalent control-based adaptive sliding mode control (EASMC) approach for designing the autopilot of a bank-to-turn (BTT) missile under model uncertainties and external disturbances. The sliding surface is constructed with a tracking error between the real attitude angle and the reference command. The equivalent control technique works as a mechanism for the gains over-bounded by uncertainties and this information is implemented in the adaption progress. The method guarantees that the sliding surface reaches zero in finite time and the error tracks the command value asymptotically. The advantage of this method is that the gains will be adapted to counteract uncertainties and enable the control deflection magnitude to be reduced to the minimum value, keeping the property of a finite-time convergence. The skill in choosing the gains is also given in this paper. Simulation results demonstrate that the approach proposed is able to improve the dynamic performance and robustness of a BTT missile system.