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Income Taxes (Details 5) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]        
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Settlements with Taxing Authorities $ 61us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities $ 1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities $ 1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities  
Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible, Amount of Unrecorded Benefit 75us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit      
Estimated value of uncertain tax positions - accrued interest and penalties 25us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued      
Federal and foreign income tax benefits that would impact the rate 145us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate      
Operating Loss Carryforwards 211us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards      
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent [Abstract]        
Federal income tax statutory rate 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate      
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross [Abstract]        
Valuation allowance against tax assets 53us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 55us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance    
Maximum | Forecast        
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]        
Tax Adjustments, Settlements, and Unusual Provisions       (40)us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
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Partial resolution of IRS examination of the company's 2007-2009 tax returns [Member]        
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]        
Tax Adjustments, Settlements, and Unusual Provisions (51)us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
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Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Settlements with Taxing Authorities 59us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= noc_PartialresolutionofIRSexaminationofthecompanys20072009taxreturnsMember
     
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued $ (12)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
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