Restructuring Charges - Additional Information (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						36 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Employee $ / shares		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) Employee $ / shares		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance charges	$ 30		$ 102	[1]		$ 201	[1]
Reduction in net earnings due to severance charges			$ 66			$ 130
Decrease in diluted earnings per share due to severance charges | $ / shares			$ 0.21			$ 0.40
Severance payments			$ 18
Accelerated and incremental costs incurred to date			225					$ 225
Accelerated and incremental costs incurred			115		$ 90	$ 20
Accelerated and incremental costs recovered			65		50
November 2013 Severance Actions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance payments			46		$ 92	15		153
Information Systems & Global Solutions
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance charges			35			83
Information Systems & Global Solutions | Incremental expected costs as a result of the November 2013 restructuring plan
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected total accelerated and incremental costs			10					10
Mission Systems and Training
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance charges			67			37
Mission Systems and Training | Incremental expected costs as a result of the November 2013 restructuring plan
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected total accelerated and incremental costs			50					50
Space Systems
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance charges						$ 81
Space Systems | Incremental expected costs as a result of the November 2013 restructuring plan
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected total accelerated and incremental costs			$ 180					180
Information Systems & Global Solutions, Mission Systems & Training, and Space Systems
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Number of employees terminated | Employee						4,000
Scenario, Forecast
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Accelerated and incremental costs recovered		$ 60
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Number of employees terminated | Employee			1,400
Accrued restructuring cost expected to be paid in 2016			$ 15					15
Expected total accelerated and incremental costs			$ 40					$ 40

[1] See Note 15 for information on charges related to certain severance actions at our business segments. Severance charges for initiatives that are not significant are included in business segment operating profit.