Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ (15,761,000,000)		$ 271,000,000		$ 283,000,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	1,317,000,000		1,418,000,000		1,486,000,000
Goodwill impairment	14,773,000,000		0		0
Intangible assets impairment	729,000,000		0		0
Property, plant and equipment impairment	461,000,000		107,000,000		80,000,000
Inventory impairment	246,000,000		0		105,000,000
Loss (gain) on business dispositions	353,000,000		138,000,000		(171,000,000)
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes	160,000,000		51,000,000		(249,000,000)
Unrealized gain on equity security	(1,417,000,000)		0		0
Equity in loss of affiliate	0		0		139,000,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Current receivables	680,000,000		(583,000,000)		(204,000,000)
Inventories	(80,000,000)		(200,000,000)		(339,000,000)
Accounts payable	(711,000,000)		249,000,000		794,000,000
Progress collections and deferred income	396,000,000		1,147,000,000		(27,000,000)
Contract and other deferred assets	(69,000,000)		(60,000,000)		129,000,000
Other operating items, net	227,000,000		(412,000,000)		(264,000,000)
Net cash flows from operating activities	1,304,000,000		2,126,000,000		1,762,000,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Expenditures for capital assets	(974,000,000)		(1,240,000,000)		(995,000,000)
Proceeds from disposal of assets	187,000,000		264,000,000		458,000,000
Proceeds from business dispositions	187,000,000		77,000,000		453,000,000
Net cash paid for business interests	(26,000,000)		(176,000,000)		(530,000,000)
Other investing items, net	8,000,000		30,000,000		36,000,000
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(618,000,000)		(1,045,000,000)		(578,000,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net repayments of short-term debt	(204,000,000)		(542,000,000)		(376,000,000)
Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt	500,000,000		525,000,000		0
Proceeds from issuance of commercial paper	737,000,000		0		0
Repayments of long-term debt	(42,000,000)		(570,000,000)		(684,000,000)
Dividends paid	(488,000,000)		(395,000,000)		(315,000,000)
Distributions to GE	(256,000,000)		(350,000,000)		(495,000,000)
Repurchase of Class A common stock	0		0		(387,000,000)
Repurchase of common units from GE by BHH LLC	0		(250,000,000)		(2,099,000,000)
Other financing items, net	(22,000,000)		48,000,000		(7,000,000)
Net cash flows from (used in) financing activities	225,000,000		(1,534,000,000)		(4,363,000,000)
Effect of currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(28,000,000)		(21,000,000)		(128,000,000)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	883,000,000		(474,000,000)		(3,307,000,000)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	3,249,000,000	[1]	3,723,000,000		7,030,000,000
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 4,132,000,000	[1]	$ 3,249,000,000	[1]	$ 3,723,000,000

[1] Total assets include $45 million and $273 million of assets held on behalf of GE, of which $44 million and $162 million is cash and cash equivalents and $1 million and $111 million is investment securities at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and a corresponding amount of liability is reported in short-term borrowings. See "Note 18. Related Party Transactions" for further details.