Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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Name:	txt_SpecialChargesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	txt_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Special Charges - Restructuring plans and special charges (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Apr. 01, 2017
Special Charges
Special charges	$ 0	$ 37
Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges		20
Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges		4
Textron Systems
Special Charges
Special charges		1
Textron Systems \| Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges		1
Textron Aviation
Special Charges
Special charges		11
Textron Aviation \| Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges		1
Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges		25
Industrial \| Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges		19
Industrial \| Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges		3
Asset Impairments
Special Charges
Special charges		10
Asset Impairments \| Textron Aviation
Special Charges
Special charges		10
Acquisition Transaction Costs
Special Charges
Special charges		3
Acquisition Transaction Costs \| Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges		$ 3