Commitments and Contingency - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 agreement employee	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 International Subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2012 European Land Systems Vehicle	Dec. 31, 2012 European Land Systems Performance Guarantee	Dec. 31, 2012 Termination Of A-12 Program	Dec. 31, 2012 Contract Termination European Land Systems	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum Termination Of A-12 Program	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Unionized Employees Concentration Risk	Dec. 31, 2012 Employee Severance [Member] European Land Systems	Dec. 31, 2012 Employee Severance [Member] Unfavorable Regulatory Action [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Maximum amount contractors collectively would be required to repay the government							$ 1,400,000,000
Duration of litigation (in years)									20 years
Interest on maximum amount contractors collectively would be required to pay the government							1,600,000,000
Loss contingency, maximum liability, pretax							1,500,000,000						40,000,000
Discontinued operations charge, after-tax							835,000,000
Discontinued operations charge, per share, after-tax							$ 2.36
Cash cost, after-tax							740,000,000
Total expense under operating leases	301,000,000	274,000,000	258,000,000
Number of vehicles specified in contract					260
Amount customer has drawn on bank guarantees						75,000,000
Estimate of remaining costs to close-out contract								258,000,000
Bank guarantees outstanding						195,000,000
Restructuring charge for European Land Systems business												98,000,000
Loss contingency, miminum liability, pretax													30,000,000
Letters of credit	$ 1,900,000,000			$ 850,000,000
Period preceding delivery of aircraft to customer fair market value of trade-in aircraft is established, days, maximum										120 days
Percentage of employees represented by labor agreements											20.00%
Number of company-negotiated labor agreements	56
Number of collective agreements expected to be renegotiated	18
Number of employees covered by expected renegotiated collective agreements	5,600