Summary of Financial Information for Each Business Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 26, 2017	Mar. 27, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net sales		$ 11,057	$ 10,368
Less: CAS pension cost		562	475
FAS/CAS pension adjustment		217	224
Stock-based compensation		(44)	(44)
Severance charges			(80)
Other, net	[1],[2]	(75)	(56)
Total unallocated items		98	44
Operating profit		1,149	1,158
Total assets		48,836		$ 47,806
Qualified defined benefit pension plans
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
FAS pension expense		(345)	(251)
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating profit		1,051	1,114
Total assets		36,202		35,513
Operating Segments | Aeronautics
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net sales		4,106	3,799
Operating profit		436	420
Total assets		7,900		7,896
Operating Segments | Missiles and Fire Control
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net sales		1,489	1,434
Operating profit		219	221
Total assets		4,322		4,000
Operating Segments | Rotary and Mission Systems
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net sales		3,101	3,004
Operating profit		108	229
Total assets		18,435		18,367
Operating Segments | Space Systems
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net sales		2,361	2,131
Operating profit		288	244
Total assets		5,545		5,250
Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total intersegment sales		561	591
Intersegment elimination | Aeronautics
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total intersegment sales		32	36
Intersegment elimination | Missiles and Fire Control
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total intersegment sales		64	75
Intersegment elimination | Rotary and Mission Systems
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total intersegment sales		439	447
Intersegment elimination | Space Systems
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total intersegment sales		26	$ 33
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	[3]	$ 12,634		$ 12,293

[1] As a result of the IS&GS divestiture in August 2016, we reclassified $35 million of general corporate overhead costs incurred in the first quarter of 2016 and previously allocated to the IS&GS business segment. These costs were not reported as discontinued operations because they were not directly attributable to the IS&GS business and will continue to be incurred by us. See "Note 3 - Divestitures" for more information.

[2] In the first quarter of 2017, we recognized a $64 million charge, which represents our portion of a noncash asset impairment charge recorded by an international equity method investee. See "Note 9 - Other" (under the caption "Equity Method Investee Impairment") for more information.

[3] Corporate assets primarily include cash and cash equivalents, deferred income taxes, environmental receivables and investments held in a separate trust to fund certain of our non-qualified deferred compensation plans.