Segment Information, Geographic Location (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 29, 2017	[2]	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 23, 2016	[2]	Jun. 24, 2016	Mar. 25, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, net		$ 1,110						$ 1,107						$ 1,110	$ 1,107
Net sales		2,574	[1]	$ 2,293		$ 2,385	$ 2,321	2,643	[1]	$ 2,184		$ 2,318	$ 2,065	9,573	9,210	$ 9,231
U.S. Government Agencies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[3]													6,697	6,399	6,120
Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														1,456	1,280	1,373
Foreign Governments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	[3]													1,420	1,531	1,738
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, net		936						960						936	960
Net sales														7,344	6,947	6,734
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | United Kingdom [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														335	331	336
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Canada [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														280	297	281
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Australia [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														268	254	321
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | China [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														167	67	83
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | South Korea [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														134	127	207
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Japan [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														125	81	95
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | France [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														84	75	62
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, net		$ 174						$ 147						174	147
Net sales														836	1,031	1,112
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Total International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales														$ 2,229	$ 2,263	$ 2,497

[1] Provision for income taxes for the fourth quarter of 2017, includes estimated tax benefits of $79 million or $0.99 per diluted share, related to the enactment of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (U.S. Tax Reform) in December 2017.

[2] The Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $187 million or $1.67 per diluted share for the Vertex Aerospace reporting unit in 2017, which is reported in discontinued operations.

[3] Includes sales for which the Company is the prime contractor as well as sales based on the ultimate end customer for which the Company is a subcontractor.