Acquisitions and Divestitures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Russia [Member] Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 TransDigm Group Inc [Member] Employees	Dec. 31, 2010 TransDigm Group Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 TransDigm Group Inc [Member] California [Member] Location	Dec. 31, 2011 TransDigm Group Inc [Member] United Kingdom [Member] Location	Jul. 31, 2010 Traco [Member] Employees	Dec. 31, 2011 Traco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Traco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Transportation Products Europe [Member] Employees	Dec. 31, 2010 Transportation Products Europe [Member] Divestiture [Member] Location	Dec. 31, 2012 Three Hundred Fifty One Megawatt Tapoco Hydroelectric Project [Member] acre ElectricStation mi	Dec. 31, 2012 Three Hundred Fifty One Megawatt Tapoco Hydroelectric Project [Member] Primary Metals Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Three Hundred Fifty One Megawatt Tapoco Hydroelectric Project [Member] Corporate [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses											$ 14		$ 597
Gain (loss) on sale of business													320	426	(106)
Gain (loss) on sale of business, after tax													173	275	(102)
Number of hydroelectric generating stations and dams													4
Length of transmission line													86
Acres of land associated with divestitures													14,500
Allocation of goodwill													(94)
Business acquisition cost		240								77
Cash acquired and post-closing adjustments resulted in net purchase price		239
Number of employees				400				650			360
Number of business locations						1	2					2
Sales generated in last annual period prior to divestiture					61						78
Amount of goodwill recorded	154									28
Amount of reduction in the initial goodwill amount	1								4
Amount of goodwill is estimated to be deductible for income tax purposes	60								24
Sales generated prior year before acquisition										100
Additional amount to settle working capital									1
Gain from divestiture											5
Gain from divestiture, pretax											5
Additional contingent consideration payable	$ 50
Number of facilities acquired			2