Segment and Geographic Data (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2011	Apr. 02, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011	Oct. 02, 2010	Jul. 03, 2010	Apr. 03, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011	Jan. 02, 2010
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues									$ 11,172	$ 10,307	$ 10,139
Finance revenues									103	218	361
Total revenues	3,254	2,814	2,728	2,479	3,127	2,479	2,709	2,210	11,275	10,525	10,500
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit	36	236	196	123	184	112	161	96	591	553	475
Special charges					(54)	(114)	(10)	(12)		(190)	(317)
Corporate expenses and other, net	(39)	(13)	(23)	(39)	(48)	(35)	(17)	(37)	(114)	(137)	(164)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									337	86	(149)
Manufacturing Group [Member]
Segment Profit (Loss)
Interest Expense, net for Manufacturing group	(27)	(37)	(38)	(38)	(37)	(32)	(35)	(36)	(140)	(140)	(143)
Cessna [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues	1,011	771	652	556	960	535	635	433
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit	60	33	5	(38)	23	(31)	3	(24)
Special charges										(43)	(167)
Cessna [Member] | Manufacturing Group [Member]
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues									2,990	2,563	3,320
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit									60	(29)	198
Bell [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues	1,010	894	872	749	975	825	823	618
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit	167	143	120	91	138	107	108	74
Special charges										(10)	(9)
Bell [Member] | Manufacturing Group [Member]
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues									3,525	3,241	2,842
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit									521	427	304
Textron Systems [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues	513	462	452	445	527	460	534	458
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit	(8)	47	49	53	55	50	70	55
Special charges										(19)	(8)
Textron Systems [Member] | Manufacturing Group [Member]
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues									1,872	1,979	1,899
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit									141	230	240
Industrial [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues	708	655	719	703	638	600	661	625
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit	49	37	55	61	25	37	51	49
Special charges										(15)	(85)
Industrial [Member] | Manufacturing Group [Member]
Revenues
Manufacturing revenues									2,785	2,524	2,078
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit									202	162	27
Finance [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues	12	32	33	26	27	59	56	76
Segment Profit (Loss)
Segment profit	(232)	(24)	(33)	(44)	(57)	(51)	(71)	(58)	(333)	(237)	(294)
Special charges										$ (102)	$ (13)