Impact of Adoption of New Standards (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 28,341	$ 25,146	$ 24,258	$ 23,382	$ 24,770	$ 24,223	$ 23,051	$ 21,961	$ 101,127	$ 94,005	$ 93,496
Financing Interest Expense										69	70	59
Cost of Revenue		22,090	21,040	19,536	18,824	19,881	19,956	18,702	18,073	81,490	76,612	79,026
Gross Profit										19,637	17,393	14,470
Income from operating investments, net										111	204	303
General and administrative expense										4,567	4,095	3,613
Research and development expense, net										3,269	3,179	4,626
Gain/(loss) on dispositions, net										(75)	(21)	7
Earnings from operations		4,175	2,227	2,710	2,875	2,978	2,630	2,530	2,206	11,987	10,344	6,527
Other income/(loss), net										92	123	(438)
Interest and debt expense										(475)	(360)	(306)
Earnings before income taxes										11,604	10,107	5,783
Income tax expense										1,144	1,649	749
Net earnings		$ 3,424	$ 2,363	$ 2,196	$ 2,477	$ 3,320	$ 1,810	$ 1,749	$ 1,579	$ 10,460	$ 8,458	$ 5,034
Basic earnings per share		$ 6.00	$ 4.11	$ 3.77	$ 4.19	$ 5.57	$ 3.03	$ 2.91	$ 2.57	$ 18.05	$ 14.03	$ 7.92
Diluted earnings per share		$ 5.93	$ 4.07	$ 3.73	$ 4.15	$ 5.49	$ 2.99	$ 2.87	$ 2.54	$ 17.85	$ 13.85	$ 7.83
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 7,637				$ 8,813				$ 7,637	$ 8,813	$ 8,801
Short-term and other investments		927				1,179				927	1,179
Accounts receivable, net		3,879				2,894				3,879	2,894
Unbilled receivables, net		10,025				8,194				10,025	8,194
Current portion of customer financing, net		460				309				460	309
Inventories		62,567				61,388				62,567	61,388
Other current assets		2,335				2,417				2,335	2,417
Total current assets		87,830				85,194				87,830	85,194
Customer financing, net		2,418				2,756				2,418	2,756
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net		12,645				12,672				12,645	12,672
Goodwill		7,840				5,559				7,840	5,559	5,324
Acquired intangible assets, net		3,429				2,573				3,429	2,573
Deferred income taxes		284				321				284	321
Investments		1,087				1,260				1,087	1,260
Other assets, net of accumulated amortization		1,826				2,027				1,826	2,027
Total assets		117,359				112,362				117,359	112,362
Liabilities and equity
Accounts payable		12,916				12,202				12,916	12,202
Accrued liabilities		14,808				13,069				14,808	13,069
Advances and billings in excess of related costs
Advances and progress billings		50,676				48,042				50,676	48,042
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt		3,190				1,335				3,190	1,335
Total current liabilities		81,590				74,648				81,590	74,648
Deferred income taxes		1,736				2,188				1,736	2,188
Accrued retiree health care		4,584				5,545				4,584	5,545
Accrued pension plan liability, net		15,323				16,471				15,323	16,471
Other long-term liabilities		3,059				2,015				3,059	2,015
Long-term debt		10,657				9,782				10,657	9,782
Additional paid-in capital		6,768				6,804				6,768	6,804
Treasury Stock, Value		52,348				43,454				52,348	43,454
Retained earnings		55,941				49,618				55,941	49,618
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	[1]	(15,083)				(16,373)				(15,083)	(16,373)	(13,623)	$ (12,748)
Total equity		410				1,713				410	1,713	1,917	7,298
Total equity		339				1,656				339	1,656
Total liabilities and equity		117,359				112,362				117,359	112,362
Cash flows - operation activities:
Net earnings		3,424	$ 2,363	$ 2,196	$ 2,477	3,320	$ 1,810	$ 1,749	$ 1,579	10,460	8,458	5,034
Non-cash items -
Share-based plans expense										202	202	190
Depreciation and amortization										2,114	2,047	1,889
Investment/asset impairment charges, net										93	113	90
Customer financing valuation (benefit)/expense										(3)	2	(7)
Gain/(loss) on dispositions, net										(75)	(21)	7
Other Noncash Income (Expense)										(247)	(293)	(371)
Changes in assets and liabilities –
Accounts receivable										(795)	(840)	326
Unbilled receivables										(1,826)	(1,600)	792
Advances and progress billings										2,636	4,700	(1,362)
Advances and billings in excess of related costs
Inventories										568	(1,403)	4,004
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets										(98)	19	200
Accounts payable										2	130	622
Accrued liabilities										1,117	335	312
Income taxes receivable, payable and deferred										(180)	656	(734)
Other long-term liabilities										87	94	(68)
Pension and other postretirement plans										(153)	(582)	153
Customer financing, net										(120)	(1,041)	662
Other										(610)	260	261
Net cash provided by operating activities										15,322	13,346	10,496
Cash flows - investing activities:
Property, plant and equipment additions										(1,722)	(1,739)	(2,613)
Property, plant and equipment reductions										120	92	38
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired										3,230	324	297
Contributions to investments										2,607	3,569	1,719
Proceeds from investments										2,898	3,607	1,206
Purchase of distribution rights										69	131
Other										11	(6)	(7)
Net cash used by investing activities										(4,621)	(2,058)	(3,378)
Cash flows - financing activities
New borrowings										8,548	2,077	1,325
Debt repayments										7,183	953	1,359
Repayments of distribution rights and other asset financing												24
Stock options exercised										81	311	321
Employee taxes on certain share-based payment arrangements										257	132	93
Common shares repurchased										9,000	9,236	7,001
Dividends paid										3,946	3,417	2,756
Net cash used by financing activities										(11,722)	(11,350)	(9,587)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents										(53)	80	(33)
Net (decrease) / increase in cash & cash equivalents, including restricted											18	(2,502)
Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at beginning of year					8,887				8,869	8,887	8,869	11,371
Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at end of year		7,813				8,887				7,813	8,887	8,869
Less restricted cash & cash equivalents, included in Investments		(176)				(74)				(176)	(74)	(68)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Total equity		339				1,656				339	1,656
Common Stock [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity		5,061				5,061				5,061	5,061	5,061	5,061
Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity		6,768				6,804				6,768	6,804	4,762	4,834
Treasury Stock [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity		(52,348)				(43,454)				(52,348)	(43,454)	(36,097)	(29,568)
Retained Earnings [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity		55,941				49,618				55,941	49,618	41,754	39,657
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity		(15,083)				(16,373)				(15,083)	(16,373)	(13,623)	(12,748)
Non-Controlling Interest [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity		$ 71				57				71	57	60	62
Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues											613	(1,075)
Cost of Revenue											546	(1,764)
Gross Profit											67	689
General and administrative expense											1	(3)
Research and development expense, net												(1)
Earnings from operations											66	693
Other income/(loss), net											(6)	(478)
Earnings before income taxes											60	215
Income tax expense											(201)	76
Net earnings											$ 261	$ 139
Basic earnings per share											$ 0.43	$ 0.22
Diluted earnings per share											$ 0.42	$ 0.22
Assets [Abstract]
Accounts receivable, net						(7,622)					$ (7,622)
Unbilled receivables, net						8,194					8,194
Inventories						17,044					17,044
Other current assets						2,417					2,417
Total current assets						20,033					20,033
Customer financing, net						16					16
Deferred income taxes						(20)					(20)
Total assets						20,029					20,029
Liabilities and equity
Accrued liabilities						(2,223)					(2,223)
Advances and billings in excess of related costs						(27,440)					(27,440)
Advances and progress billings						48,042					48,042
Total current liabilities						18,379					18,379
Deferred income taxes						349					349
Retained earnings						4,298					4,298
Accumulated other comprehensive loss						(2,997)					(2,997)
Total equity						1,301					1,301
Total equity						1,301					1,301
Total liabilities and equity						20,029					20,029
Cash flows - operation activities:
Net earnings											261	$ 139
Non-cash items -
Depreciation and amortization											(22)	(21)
Other Noncash Income (Expense)											(6)	(2)
Changes in assets and liabilities –
Accounts receivable											981	214
Unbilled receivables											(1,600)	792
Advances and progress billings											4,700	(1,362)
Advances and billings in excess of related costs											(3,570)	493
Inventories											(318)	249
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets											19	200
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities											(238)	(414)
Income taxes receivable, payable and deferred											(201)	76
Customer financing, net											(24)	(34)
Other											2	5
Net cash provided by operating activities											2	(3)
Cash flows - investing activities:
Contributions to investments											(32)
Proceeds from investments											(32)	(3)
Other											(4)	(5)
Net cash used by investing activities											4	2
Cash flows - financing activities
Net (decrease) / increase in cash & cash equivalents, including restricted											6	(1)
Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at beginning of year					$ 74				68	74	68	69
Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at end of year						74					74	68
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Total equity						1,301					1,301
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net earnings											261	139
Cash flows - operation activities:
Net earnings											261	139
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption						1,301					1,301	901
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption						1,301					1,301	901
Accounting Standards Update 2018-02 [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Retained earnings						2,997					2,997
Accumulated other comprehensive loss						(2,997)					(2,997)
Product [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues										90,229	83,740	83,198
Cost of Goods and Services Sold										72,922	68,879	71,013
Product [Member] | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues											536	(1,201)
Cost of Goods and Services Sold											514	(1,700)
Service [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues										10,898	10,265	10,298
Cost of Goods and Services Sold										$ 8,499	7,663	7,954
Service [Member] | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues											77	126
Cost of Goods and Services Sold											32	(64)
Fiscal Year 2016 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption												139
Fiscal Year 2017 [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption						261					261
Previously Reported [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues											93,392	94,571
Cost of Revenue											76,066	80,790
Gross Profit											17,326	13,781
General and administrative expense											4,094	3,616
Research and development expense, net											3,179	4,627
Earnings from operations											10,278	5,834
Other income/(loss), net											129	40
Earnings before income taxes											10,047	5,568
Income tax expense											1,850	673
Net earnings											$ 8,197	$ 4,895
Basic earnings per share											$ 13.60	$ 7.70
Diluted earnings per share											$ 13.43	$ 7.61
Assets [Abstract]
Accounts receivable, net						10,516					$ 10,516
Unbilled receivables, net
Inventories						44,344					44,344
Other current assets
Total current assets						65,161					65,161
Customer financing, net						2,740					2,740
Deferred income taxes						341					341
Total assets						92,333					92,333
Liabilities and equity
Accrued liabilities						15,292					15,292
Advances and billings in excess of related costs						27,440					27,440
Advances and progress billings
Total current liabilities						56,269					56,269
Deferred income taxes						1,839					1,839
Total equity						412					412	$ 877	6,397
Total equity						355					355
Total liabilities and equity						92,333					92,333
Cash flows - operation activities:
Net earnings											8,197	4,895
Non-cash items -
Depreciation and amortization											2,069	1,910
Other Noncash Income (Expense)											(287)	(369)
Changes in assets and liabilities –
Accounts receivable											(1,821)	112
Unbilled receivables
Advances and progress billings
Advances and billings in excess of related costs											3,570	(493)
Inventories											(1,085)	3,755
Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets
Accounts payable											130	622
Accrued liabilities											573	726
Income taxes receivable, payable and deferred											857	(810)
Customer financing, net											(1,017)	696
Other											258	256
Net cash provided by operating activities											13,344	10,499
Cash flows - investing activities:
Contributions to investments											3,601	1,719
Proceeds from investments											3,639	1,209
Other											(2)	(2)
Net cash used by investing activities											(2,062)	(3,380)
Cash flows - financing activities
Net (decrease) / increase in cash & cash equivalents, including restricted											12	(2,501)
Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at beginning of year									$ 8,801		8,801	11,302
Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at end of year												8,801
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Total equity						355					355
Previously Reported [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity						45,320					45,320	40,714	$ 38,756
Previously Reported [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]
Liabilities and equity
Total equity						$ (13,376)					(13,376)
Previously Reported [Member] | Product [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues											83,204	84,399
Cost of Goods and Services Sold											68,365	72,713
Previously Reported [Member] | Service [Member]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues											10,188	10,172
Cost of Goods and Services Sold											$ 7,631	$ 8,018

[1] Net of tax.