2.2.0.25truefalse0615 - Disclosure - Financial Instruments (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse4/1/2011 USD ($) $BalanceAsOf_01Apr2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001056239instant2011-04-01T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2010 USD ($) $BalanceAsOf_31Dec2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001056239instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0lll_CarryingAmountsAndEstimatedFairValuesOfFinancialInstrumentsAbstractlllfalsenadurationCarrying amounts and estimated fair values of financial instruments Abstract.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringCarrying amounts and estimated fair values of financial instruments Abstract.falsefalseCarrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company's financial instruments3false0us-gaap_SeniorNotesus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse24420000002442falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse17940000001794falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 falsefalseSenior notes, Carrying Amount4false0lll_SeniorNotesEstimatedFairValuelllfalsecreditinstantIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, fair value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse24970000002497falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse18100000001810falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, fair value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseSenior notes, Estimated Fair Value5false0us-gaap_SubordinatedDebtus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse995000000995falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse16450000001645falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of subordinated debt (with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Subordinated debt places a lender in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment in liquidation of the entity's assets.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 10 -Section F Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Article 5 -Subsection 19, 20, 22 falsefalseSenior subordinated notes, Carrying Amount6false0lll_SeniorSubordinatedNotesEstimatedFairValuelllfalsecreditinstantIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, fair value as of the balance sheet date of subordinated debt (with initial...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse10330000001033falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse16910000001691falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, fair value as of the balance sheet date of subordinated debt (with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Subordinated debt places a lender in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment in liquidation of the entity's assets.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseSenior subordinated notes, Estimated Fair Value7false0us-gaap_ConvertibleSubordinatedDebtus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse689000000689falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse698000000698falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, the carrying value of convertible subordinated debt, as of the balance sheet date, initially scheduled to be repaid after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle if longer. This form of debt can be exchanged for a specified amount of another security, typically the entity's common stock, at the option of the issuer or the holder, and places a lender in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment in liquidation of the entity's assets.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Article 5 -Subsection 20, 22 falsefalseCODES, Carrying Amount8false0lll_ConvertibleSubordinatedDebtEstimatedFairValuelllfalsecreditinstantIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, the fair value of convertible subordinated debt, as of the balance sheet date,...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse696000000696falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse701000000701falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, the fair value of convertible subordinated debt, as of the balance sheet date, initially scheduled to be repaid after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle if longer. 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These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.falsefalseFair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]13false0us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyContractsLiabilityFairValueDisclosureus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse1500000015falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1700000017falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents contracts related to the exchange of different currencies, including foreign currency options, forward (delivery or nondelivery) contracts, and swaps entered into and existing as of the balance sheet date.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseForeign currency forward contracts14false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://l-3com.com/role/financialinstrumentsdetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_FairValueByBalanceSheetGroupingDisclosureItemAmountsAxis} : Estimated Fair Value [Member] 4/1/2011 USD ($) $BalanceAsOf_01Apr2011_Estimate_Of_Fair_Value_Fair_Value_Disclosure_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001056239instant2011-04-01T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseEstimated Fair Value [Member]us-gaap_FairValueByBalanceSheetGroupingDisclosureItemAmountsAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMemberus-gaap_FairValueByBalanceSheetGroupingDisclosureItemAmountsAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$6falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_FairValueByBalanceSheetGroupingDisclosureItemAmountsAxis} : Estimated Fair Value [Member] 12/31/2010 USD ($) $BalanceAsOf_31Dec2010_Estimate_Of_Fair_Value_Fair_Value_Disclosure_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001056239instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseEstimated Fair Value [Member]us-gaap_FairValueByBalanceSheetGroupingDisclosureItemAmountsAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMemberus-gaap_FairValueByBalanceSheetGroupingDisclosureItemAmountsAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseEstimated Fair Value [Member]16true0us-gaap_FairValueBalanceSheetGroupingFinancialStatementCaptionsLineItemsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringLine items represent financial concepts included in a table. 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This item represents contracts related to the exchange of different currencies, including foreign currency options, forward (delivery or nondelivery) contracts, and swaps entered into and existing as of the balance sheet date.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseForeign currency forward contracts213Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue