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Retirement Benefits (Details 12) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
partnership
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Contribution Plans Disclosure (Amounts in paragraphs)      
Maximum percentage of employee compensation eligible for cash matching of employee contributions 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent    
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount $ 282us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount $ 285us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount $ 293us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount
Pension and post-retirement benefits disclosures (Amounts in paragraphs)      
Accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans 30,300us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation 25,700us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation  
Information About Plan Assets (Amounts in paragraphs) [Abstract]      
Maximum percentage of funds permitted to be invested in trust accounts 5.00%noc_MaximumPercentageOfFundsPermittedToBeInvestedInTrustAccount    
Number of real estate and private equity partnerships 164noc_NumberOfRealEstateAndPrivateEquityPartnerships    
Entities that calculate net asset value per share, unfunded commitments 833us-gaap_FairValueInvestmentsEntitiesThatCalculateNetAssetValuePerShareUnfundedCommittments 899us-gaap_FairValueInvestmentsEntitiesThatCalculateNetAssetValuePerShareUnfundedCommittments  
Average investment term, alternative investments 10 years    
Entities that calculate net asset value per share, investment redemption frequency quarterly    
Notice period for alternative investments redemptions, days 90 days    
OPEB contributions      
Defined Contribution Plans Disclosure (Amounts in paragraphs)      
Expected 2015 employer contributions 68us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= noc_OPEBcontributionsMember
   
Pension employer required minimum contributions      
Defined Contribution Plans Disclosure (Amounts in paragraphs)      
Expected 2015 employer contributions 77us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= noc_PensionemployerrequiredminimumcontributionsMember
   
Voluntary Contributions      
Defined Contribution Plans Disclosure (Amounts in paragraphs)      
Expected 2015 employer contributions $ 500us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= noc_VoluntaryContributionsMember