Inventories - Long term contracts percentage-of-completion accounting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Apr. 01, 2016	Apr. 03, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Decrease to operating income from the quarterly impact of revisions in long term contracts	$ (1.0)
Increase to operating income from the quarterly impact of revisions in long term contracts		$ 1.8

Increase to operating income from the quarterly impact of revisions in long term contracts

No definition available.

Name:	kamn_Increasetooperatingincomefromthequarterlyimpactofrevisionsinlongtermcontracts
Namespace Prefix:	kamn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration