Inventories (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	May 08, 2013
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
Merchandise for Resale	$ 149,837,000	$ 152,194,000
Raw Materials	19,954,000us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterials	20,609,000us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterials
Progress payments	8,590,000	10,492,000
Inventory, Work in Process	21,618,000us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcess	28,439,000us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcess
Inventory, Finished Goods	10,948,000us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoods	12,472,000us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoods
Inventory, Net	359,741,000us-gaap_InventoryNet	390,495,000us-gaap_InventoryNet
Other Inventory, Materials, Supplies and Merchandise under Consignment	7,400,000	8,000,000
Inventories include amounts associated with matters such as contract changes, negotiated settlements and claims for unanticipated contract costs	13,300,000us-gaap_OtherInventoryCapitalizedCosts	11,600,000us-gaap_OtherInventoryCapitalizedCosts
SH 2G(I) New Zealand Contract Value			120,600,000kamn_SH2GINewZealandContractValue
Aerospace [Member]
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
General and Administrative Costs in Inventory, Amount Incurred	39,200,000	37,400,000
General and Administrative Costs in Inventory, Amount Remaining	10,200,000	5,400,000
K-MAX® [Member]
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
Inventory, Work in Process	17,200,000	17,000,000
SH 2GA Super Seasprite Program [Member]
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
Inventory, Work in Process	23,500,000	43,800,000
SH 2 inventory [Member]
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
Inventory, Noncurrent	4,100,000
U.S. Government [Member]
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
Contracts in Process - U.S. Government, net of Progress Payments of $8,590 and $10,492 in 2014 and 2013, respectively	106,036,000	105,737,000
Commercial and Other Government [Member]
Schedule of Inventory [Line Items]
Contracts in process, commercial and other government contracts	$ 51,348,000	$ 71,044,000

Contracts in process, commercial and other government contracts

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Actual or estimated amount of general and administrative costs remaining in inventory.

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Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of completed merchandise or goods expected to be sold within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves, and progress payments, of inventory associated with long-term contracts, expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount after valuation and LIFO reserves of inventory expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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Inventories not expected to be converted to cash, sold or exchanged within the normal operating cycle.

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Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of raw materials expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of merchandise or goods in the production process expected to be completed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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Gross amount of an expenditure that is incurred which is not expensed in the current period but rather capitalized as a component of inventory.

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Gross amount of inventory owned by the entity but in the hands of a customer, typically a reseller.

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Amount of advances received from customers under long-term contracts which have been offset against inventories accounts at the balance sheet date.

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Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of merchandise inventory purchased by a retailer, wholesaler or distributor and held for future sale.

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