Revenue (Table) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	$ 2,027	$ 2,188	$ 4,290	$ 4,268
Firm fixed-price
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	79	81	155	136
Fixed-price incentive
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1,028	1,051	2,189	1,982
Cost-type
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	809	950	1,731	1,961
Time-and-materials
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	111	106	215	189
Federal
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1,963	2,117	4,158	4,131
Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	63	71	131	137
State and local government agencies
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1		1
Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1,420	1,520	3,044	3,010
Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	607	668	1,246	1,258
Ingalls
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	622	622	1,251	1,206
Intersegment	1	1	2	1
Ingalls | Amphibious assault ships
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	328	325	675	622
Ingalls | Surface combatants and coast guard cutters
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	295	295	574	581
Ingalls | Other programs
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	(1)	2	2	3
Ingalls | Firm fixed-price
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	16	23	31	40
Ingalls | Fixed-price incentive
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	535	490	1,058	968
Ingalls | Cost-type
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	70	108	160	197
Ingalls | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1	1	2	1
Ingalls | Federal
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	621	621	1,249	1,205
Ingalls | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1	1	2	1
Ingalls | Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	564	556	1,142	1,094
Ingalls | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	57	65	107	111
Newport News
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1,122	1,279	2,463	2,558
Intersegment	2	3	4	3
Newport News | Aircraft carriers
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	656	747	1,354	1,460
Newport News | Submarines
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	286	363	741	731
Newport News | Other programs
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	180	169	368	367
Newport News | Firm fixed-price
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1	1	3	4
Newport News | Fixed-price incentive
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	493	560	1,131	1,013
Newport News | Cost-type
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	626	715	1,325	1,538
Newport News | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	2	3	4	3
Newport News | Federal
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1,119	1,265	2,458	2,530
Newport News | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1	11	1	25
Newport News | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	2	3	4	3
Newport News | Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	826	963	1,872	1,915
Newport News | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	294	313	587	640
Technical Solutions
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	320	321	637	561
Intersegment	34	30	55	53
Technical Solutions | Government and energy services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	260	265	513	456
Technical Solutions | Oil and gas services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	60	56	124	105
Technical Solutions | Firm fixed-price
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	62	57	121	92
Technical Solutions | Fixed-price incentive
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues		1		1
Technical Solutions | Cost-type
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	113	127	246	226
Technical Solutions | Time-and-materials
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	111	106	215	189
Technical Solutions | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	34	30	55	53
Technical Solutions | Federal
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	223	231	451	396
Technical Solutions | Commercial
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	62	60	130	112
Technical Solutions | State and local government agencies
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	1		1
Technical Solutions | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	34	30	55	53
Technical Solutions | Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	30	1	30	1
Technical Solutions | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	256	290	552	507
Intersegment Elimination
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	(37)	(34)	(61)	(57)
Intersegment	(37)	(34)	(61)	(57)
Intersegment Elimination | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	(37)	(34)	(61)	(57)
Intersegment Elimination | Intersegment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales and service revenues	$ (37)	$ (34)	$ (61)	$ (57)