Condensed Combining Financial Information of L-3 Communications and Its Subsidiaries (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011
Operating activities:
Net cash from operating activities	$ 984	$ 984
Investing activities:
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(710)	(15)
Other investing activities	(109)	(122)
Net cash used in investing activities	(819)	(137)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of senior notes	797	646
Redemption of senior subordinated notes and CODES	(800)	(661)
Common stock repurchased	(469)	(800)
Dividends paid on L-3 Holdings' common stock	(139)	(143)
Other financing activities	89	42
Net cash used in financing activities	(522)	(916)
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash	(9)
Net (decrease) increase in cash	(366)	(69)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period	1,016	607
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period	650	538	[1]
L-3 Holdings (Parent) [Member]
Operating activities:
Net cash from operating activities	608	954
Investing activities:
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(93)	(42)
Net cash used in investing activities	(93)	(42)
Financing activities:
Redemption of senior subordinated notes and CODES		(11)
Common stock repurchased	(469)	(800)
Dividends paid on L-3 Holdings' common stock	(139)	(143)
Other financing activities	93	42
Net cash used in financing activities	(515)	(912)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period	0	0
L-3 Communications [Member]
Operating activities:
Net cash from operating activities	119	184
Investing activities:
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(710)	(15)
Other investing activities	(42)	(54)
Net cash used in investing activities	(752)	(69)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of senior notes	797	646
Redemption of senior subordinated notes and CODES	(800)	(650)
Dividends paid to L-3 Holdings	(608)	(954)
Investments from L-3 Holdings	93	42
Other financing activities	601	657
Net cash used in financing activities	83	(259)
Net (decrease) increase in cash	(550)	(144)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period	797	257
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period	247	113
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Operating activities:
Net cash from operating activities	692	716
Investing activities:
Other investing activities	(63)	(53)
Net cash used in investing activities	(63)	(53)
Financing activities:
Other financing activities	(629)	(663)
Net cash used in financing activities	(629)	(663)
Net (decrease) increase in cash		0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period	4	3
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period	4	3
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Operating activities:
Net cash from operating activities	196	141
Investing activities:
Other investing activities	(4)	(15)
Net cash used in investing activities	(4)	(15)
Financing activities:
Other financing activities	(79)	(124)
Net cash used in financing activities	(79)	(124)
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash	(9)
Net (decrease) increase in cash	104	2
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period	364	482
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period	468	484
Eliminations [Member]
Operating activities:
Net cash from operating activities	(631)	(1,011)
Investing activities:
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	93	42
Net cash used in investing activities	93	42
Financing activities:
Dividends paid to L-3 Holdings	608	954
Investments from L-3 Holdings	(93)	(42)
Other financing activities	103	130
Net cash used in financing activities	618	1,042
Net (decrease) increase in cash	80	73
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period	(149)	(135)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period	$ (69)	$ (62)

[1] Unaudited