Note 8: Restructuring and Other Costs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			$ 232,000,000
Restructuring Charges Continuing Operations			204,000,000
Restructuring Charges Discontinued Operations			28,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Two Years Prior Actions	44,000,000		44,000,000
Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	87,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	71,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(55,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	103,000,000	87,000,000	103,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			256,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	71,000,000	116,000,000	187,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	69,000,000		69,000,000
Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	97,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	21,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(36,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	82,000,000	97,000,000	82,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			377,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	21,000,000	20,000,000	41,000,000	286,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	50,000,000		50,000,000
Otis [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			63,000,000
Otis [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			61,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	31,000,000	23,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	7,000,000		7,000,000
Otis [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			101,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	4,000,000	6,000,000		76,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	15,000,000		15,000,000
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			72,000,000
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			98,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	24,000,000	25,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	49,000,000		49,000,000
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			122,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	13,000,000	9,000,000		93,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	7,000,000		7,000,000
Pratt and Whitney [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			54,000,000
Pratt and Whitney [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			61,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	16,000,000	34,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	11,000,000		11,000,000
Pratt and Whitney [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			47,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1,000,000	2,000,000		37,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	7,000,000		7,000,000
Hamilton Sundstrand [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			5,000,000
Hamilton Sundstrand [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			5,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	2,000,000	1,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	2,000,000		2,000,000
Hamilton Sundstrand [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			8,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0		8,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0		0
Sikorsky [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			6,000,000
Sikorsky [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			75,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	2,000,000	3,000,000		51,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	19,000,000		19,000,000
Eliminations and other [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			4,000,000
Eliminations and other [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			4,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	(2,000,000)	6,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0		0
Eliminations and other [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0		0
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0		0
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			27,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	27,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0		0
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			24,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1,000,000	0		21,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	2,000,000		2,000,000
Cost Of Sales [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			110,000,000
Cost Of Sales [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			88,000,000
Cost Of Sales [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			19,000,000
Selling General and Administrative [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			94,000,000
Selling General and Administrative [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			72,000,000
Selling General and Administrative [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			21,000,000
Other Income Net [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			0
Other Income Net [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			0
Other Income Net [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			0
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			28,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			27,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			1,000,000
Employee Severance [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	84,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	59,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(50,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	93,000,000	84,000,000	93,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			197,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	59,000,000	96,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	42,000,000		42,000,000
Employee Severance [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	83,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	18,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(31,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	70,000,000	83,000,000	70,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			304,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	18,000,000	10,000,000		259,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	17,000,000		17,000,000
Asset Write Downs [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	0
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	1,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(1,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0	0	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			13,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1,000,000	12,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0		0
Asset Write Downs [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	0
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	0
Restructuring Reserve Settled	0
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0	0	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			4,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0		4,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0		0
Facility Exit [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	3,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	11,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(4,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	10,000,000	3,000,000	10,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			46,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	11,000,000	8,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	27,000,000		27,000,000
Facility Exit [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	14,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	3,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(5,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	12,000,000	14,000,000	12,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost			69,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	3,000,000	10,000,000		23,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	$ 33,000,000		$ 33,000,000
Restructuring And Other Costs, Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Details [Line Items]
Anticipated Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees			approximately 2,300 hourly and salaried employees
Anticipated Net Square Feet Of Facilities To Be Exited			approximately 600,000 net square feet
Completed Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees			approximately 1,300 employees
Completed Net Square Feet Of Facilities Exited			approximately 100,000 net square feet
Restructuring And Other Costs, Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Details [Line Items]
Anticipated Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees			5,000 employees
Anticipated Net Square Feet Of Facilities To Be Exited			2 million net square feet
Completed Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees			approximately 4,000 employees
Completed Net Square Feet Of Facilities Exited			approximately 100,000 net square feet