Basis of Presentation (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Jun. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation - The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of HII and its subsidiaries have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") and the instructions to Form 10-Q promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. For classification of current assets and liabilities related to its long-term production contracts, the Company uses the duration of these contracts as its operating cycle, which is generally longer than one year. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments of a normal recurring nature considered necessary by management for a fair presentation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.
Fiscal Period Policy	The quarterly information is labeled using a calendar convention; that is, first quarter is consistently labeled as ending on March 31, second quarter as ending on June 30, and third quarter as ending on September 30. It is management's long-standing practice to establish interim closing dates using a "fiscal" calendar, which requires the businesses to close their books on a Friday near these quarter-end dates in order to normalize the potentially disruptive effects of quarterly closings on business processes. The effects of this practice only exist for interim periods within a reporting year.
Accounting Estimates	Accounting Estimates - The preparation of the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared on the basis of the most current and best available information and actual results could differ materially from those estimates. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 established budget top lines and provided sequestration relief for 2014 and 2015. Sequestration remains in effect for 2016 through 2021 and could result in significant decreases in DoD spending that could negatively impact the Company's revenues and its estimated recovery of goodwill and other long-lived assets.
Revenue Recognition Policy	Revenue Recognition - The majority of the Company's business is derived from long-term contracts for the construction of naval vessels, production of goods, and provision of services to the federal government, principally the U.S. Navy. In accounting for these contracts, the Company extensively utilizes the cost-to-cost measure of the percentage-of-completion method of accounting, principally based upon total costs incurred. Under this method, sales, including estimated earned fees or profits, are recorded as costs are incurred, generally based on the percentage that total costs incurred bear to total estimated costs at completion. For certain contracts that provide for deliveries of a substantial number of similar units, sales are accounted for using units of delivery as the basis to measure progress toward completion. Certain contracts contain provisions for price redetermination or for cost and/or performance incentives. Such redetermined amounts or incentives are included in sales when the amounts can reasonably be determined and estimated. Amounts representing contract change orders, claims, requests for equitable adjustment, or limitations in funding are included in sales only when they can be reliably estimated and realization is probable. The Company is accounting for one of its contracts under the percentage-of-completion method based on a zero profit margin and will continue such accounting until results can be estimated more precisely. Revenues related to this contract represent less than 1% of the Company's total revenues for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015. The Company estimates profit as the difference between total estimated revenues and total estimated cost of a contract and recognizes that profit over the life of the contract based on progress toward completion. If the Company estimates a contract will result in a loss, the full amount of the estimated loss is recognized against income in the period in which the loss is identified. The Company classifies contract revenues as product sales or service revenues depending upon the predominant attributes of the relevant underlying contracts. The Company recognizes changes in estimates of contract sales, costs, and profits using the cumulative catch-up method of accounting. This method recognizes in the current period the cumulative effect of the changes on current and prior periods. Accordingly, the effect of the changes on future periods of contract performance is recognized as if the revised estimate had been the original estimate. For the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, net cumulative catch-up adjustments increased operating income by $71 million and $64 million, respectively, and increased diluted earnings per share by $0.94 and $0.84, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, net cumulative catch-up adjustments increased operating income by $126 million and $108 million, respectively, and increased diluted earnings per share by $1.68 and $1.42, respectively. No individual adjustment was material to the Company's consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income in any of these periods. The Company also enters into other types of contracts, such as certain services or commercial arrangements. For such contracts not associated with the design, development, manufacture, or modification of complex equipment, revenues are recognized upon delivery or as services are rendered once persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured. Costs related to these contracts are expensed as incurred.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Except for long-term debt and available-for-sale securities held in trust, the carrying amounts of the Company's financial instruments recorded at historical cost approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of the instruments and low credit risk associated with the respective counterparties. The Company maintains multiple rabbi trusts established to fund certain non-qualified pension plans. These trusts consist of available-for-sale investments primarily in marketable securities. The assets are held at fair value, and a significant majority of investments held in the trusts are valued within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy and no material amounts are valued within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. The rabbi trusts were valued at $47 million and $45 million as of June 30, 2015, and December 31, 2014, respectively, and are presented within miscellaneous other assets within the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position.

Disclosure of accounting policy for determining an entity's fiscal year or other fiscal period. This disclosure may include identification of the fiscal period end-date, the length of the fiscal period, any reporting period lag between the entity and its subsidiaries, or equity investees. If a reporting lag exists, the closing date of the entity having a different period end is generally noted, along with an explanation of the necessity for using different closing dates. Any intervening events that materially affect the entity's financial position or results of operations are generally also disclosed.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition. If the entity has different policies for different types of revenue transactions, the policy for each material type of transaction is generally disclosed. If a sales transaction has multiple element arrangements (for example, delivery of multiple products, services or the rights to use assets) the disclosure may indicate the accounting policy for each unit of accounting as well as how units of accounting are determined and valued. The disclosure may encompass important judgment as to appropriateness of principles related to recognition of revenue. The disclosure also may indicate the entity's treatment of any unearned or deferred revenue that arises from the transaction.

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