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Earnings Per Share, Share Repurchases and Dividends on Common Stock (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 39 Months Ended 20 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Jun. 16, 2010
May 15, 2013
Dec. 04, 2014
Stock Repurchase [Line Items]                  
Shares repurchased 21.4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares 27.3us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares 20.9us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares            
June 2010 Share Repurchase Program Original Authorization                  
Stock Repurchase [Line Items]                  
Amount Authorized             $ 5,350us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_June2010ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
   
Total shares retired       83.7noc_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredUnderAuthorization
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_June2010ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
         
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share       $ 63.86us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_June2010ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
         
Shares repurchased 0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_June2010ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
18.6us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_June2010ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
20.9us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_June2010ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
           
May 2013 Share Repurchase Program Original Authorization                  
Stock Repurchase [Line Items]                  
Amount Authorized               4,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
 
Total shares retired         30.1noc_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredUnderAuthorization
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
       
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share         $ 118.30us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
       
Shares repurchased 21.4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
8.7us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
           
Share Repurchases-Notes to the Table                  
Amount repurchased 3,600noc_ShareRepurchasedAmount
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
      3,600noc_ShareRepurchasedAmount
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
3,600noc_ShareRepurchasedAmount
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
     
Amount remaining under authorization for share repurchases 447us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
      447us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
447us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
     
December 2014 Share Repurchase Original Authorization                  
Stock Repurchase [Line Items]                  
Amount Authorized                 $ 3,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
Total shares retired           0noc_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredUnderAuthorization
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
     
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share           $ 0.00us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
     
Shares repurchased 0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain