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Earnings Per Share, Share Repurchases and Dividends on Common Stock #1 (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 22 Months Ended 4 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
May 15, 2013
Dec. 04, 2014
May 2013 Share Repurchase Program Original Authorization            
Share Repurchase [Line Items]            
Amount Authorized         $ 4,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
 
Total Shares Retired     32.8noc_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredUnderAuthorization
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
     
Average Cost Per Share     $ 121.97us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
     
Shares Repurchased 2.7us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
4.8us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_May2013ShareRepurchaseProgramOriginalAuthorizationMember
       
December 2014 Share Repurchase Original Authorization [Domain]            
Share Repurchase [Line Items]            
Amount Authorized           3,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
Total Shares Retired       2.6noc_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredUnderAuthorization
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
   
Average Cost Per Share       $ 161.18us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
   
Shares Repurchased 2.6us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
       
Share Repurchases - Notes to Table            
Shares repurchased amount 400noc_ShareRepurchasedAmount
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
  400noc_ShareRepurchasedAmount
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
400noc_ShareRepurchasedAmount
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
   
Amount remaining under authorization for share repurchases 2,600us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
  $ 2,600us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain
$ 2,600us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= noc_December2014ShareRepurchaseOriginalAuthorizationDomain