Inventories (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Inventories [Line Items]
Long-term contracts in progress	$ 14,553	$ 13,587
Capitalized precontract costs	236	1,728
Amounts credited in cash or other consideration (early issue sales consideration), to airline customers	2,776	2,564
Airplane Program 787 [Member]
Inventories [Line Items]
Inventory, work in process	19,494	16,098
Supplier advances	1,852	1,770
Unamortized tooling and other non-recurring costs	2,145	1,914
Deferred production costs	13,184	10,753
Deferred production, unamortized tooling and other nonrecurring costs to be recovered from firm orders at the balance sheet date	10,925
Deferred production, unamortized tooling and other nonrecurring costs to be recovered from future orders	4,404
Airplane Program 747 [Member]
Inventories [Line Items]
Unamortized tooling and other non-recurring costs	778	852
Deferred production costs	765	448
Deferred production, unamortized tooling and other nonrecurring costs to be recovered from firm orders at the balance sheet date	916
Deferred production, unamortized tooling and other nonrecurring costs to be recovered from future orders	627
A-12 Program [Member]
Inventories [Line Items]
Long-term contracts in progress	237	236
ULA [Member]
Inventories [Line Items]
Delta launch program inventory included in long-term contracts in progress	965	1,085
Reduction in earnings in the event ULA is unable to sell additional Delta II inventory	50
ULA [Member] | Unsold Launches [Member]
Inventories [Line Items]
Delta launch program inventory included in long-term contracts in progress	$ 571