Segment Information - Reconciliation of segment profit to income from continuing operations before income taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Apr. 01, 2017	Apr. 02, 2016
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues	$ 3,075	$ 3,181
Finance revenues	18	20
Total revenues	3,093	3,201
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated
Special charges	(37)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	121	215
Operating Segment
Segment Profit
Segment Profit	219	280
Corporate
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated
Corporate expenses and other, net	(27)	(32)
Manufacturing group \| Reconciling Items
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated
Interest expense, net for Manufacturing group	(34)	(33)
Textron Aviation
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated
Special charges	(11)
Textron Aviation \| Manufacturing group
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues	970	1,091
Textron Aviation \| Manufacturing group \| Operating Segment
Segment Profit
Segment Profit	36	73
Bell \| Manufacturing group
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues	697	814
Bell \| Manufacturing group \| Operating Segment
Segment Profit
Segment Profit	83	82
Textron Systems
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated
Special charges	(1)
Textron Systems \| Manufacturing group
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues	416	324
Textron Systems \| Manufacturing group \| Operating Segment
Segment Profit
Segment Profit	20	29
Industrial
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated
Special charges	(25)
Industrial \| Manufacturing group
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues	992	952
Industrial \| Manufacturing group \| Operating Segment
Segment Profit
Segment Profit	76	91
Finance
Revenues
Finance revenues	18	20
Finance \| Operating Segment
Segment Profit
Segment Profit	$ 4	$ 5

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Operating profit for all operating segments before income taxes.

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Includes items that are either isolated or temporary in nature that are excluded from the Company's segment profit measure, including restructuring charges and asset impairments.

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The aggregate financial services revenue and operating interest income earned during the reporting period.

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations, including income (loss) from equity method investments, before deduction of income tax expense (benefit), and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

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The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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