Abstract: This paper addresses the sea-skimming cruise missile tracking control using higher order sliding mode control (HOSM) based on the adaptive disturbance observer. The feedback control with finite time convergence is realized by HOSM controller and differentiator. Giving further consideration to the robustness of the control system, an adaptive disturbance observer is utilized to compensate for the marine disturbances and uncertainties in aerodynamics, which are merged into the unmatched external disturbance via the transformation of dynamics of cruise missile. The simulation under various sea states verifies the high-accuracy tracking and robustness of the proposed scheme.

Key words: cruise missile, sea-skimming, disturbance observer, higher order sliding mode control