Summary of Segment Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 28, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Net Sales:
Net Sales	$ 3,283	$ 3,301	[1]	$ 9,586	$ 9,615	[1]
Operating Income:
Operating income	331	359	[1]	987	1,045	[1]
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization	54	54	[1]	165	169	[1]
Total Assets:
Total Assets	14,200			14,200			15,497	[1]
Assets of discontinued operations							1,729	[1]
Electronic Systems [Member]
Net Sales:
Net Sales	1,432	1,418	[1]	4,191	4,180	[1]
Operating Income:
Operating income	158	166	[1]	480	504	[1]
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization	34	35	[1]	105	110	[1]
Total Assets:
Total Assets	8,144			8,144			7,555	[1]
C3ISR [Member]
Net Sales:
Net Sales	889	878	[1]	2,642	2,476	[1]
Operating Income:
Operating income	93	100	[1]	272	285	[1]
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization	11	11	[1]	34	33	[1]
Total Assets:
Total Assets	2,086			2,086			2,022	[1]
AM&M [Member]
Net Sales:
Net Sales	715	671	[1]	2,033	1,975	[1]
Operating Income:
Operating income	65	60	[1]	179	180	[1]
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization	4	4	[1]	15	13	[1]
Total Assets:
Total Assets	2,068			2,068			1,922	[1]
NSS [Member]
Net Sales:
Net Sales	353	421	[1]	1,042	1,257	[1]
Operating Income:
Operating income	15	33	[1]	56	76	[1]
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization	5	4	[1]	11	13	[1]
Total Assets:
Total Assets	1,281			1,281			1,317	[1]
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Net Sales:
Net Sales	(106)	(87)	[1]	(322)	(273)	[1]
Corporate [Member]
Total Assets:
Total Assets	$ 621			$ 621			$ 952	[1]

[1] Effective January 1, 2012, the company re-aligned a business unit's management and organizational structure, as discussed in Note 2, and made a reclassification of sales of $17 million and $55 million from the C3ISR segment to the Electronic Systems segment for the third quarter and year-to-date periods ended September 30, 2011, respectively. Operating income of $2 million was reclassified from the C3ISR segment to the Electronic Systems segment for the third quarter period ended September 30, 2011. At December 31, 2011, $124 million of assets were reclassified from the C3ISR segment to the Electronic Systems segment.