Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Period

No definition available.

Name:	pae_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range Of Outcomes, Shares, High

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesSharesHigh
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Share Price, Threshold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsSharePriceThreshold
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Capital Stock, Authorized

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_CapitalStockAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Trading Day Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfTradingDayPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Trading Days

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfTradingDays
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Class of Warrant or Right, Redeemable Price of Warrants or Rights

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_ClassOfWarrantOrRightRedeemablePriceOfWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Consecutive Trading Days

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardConsecutiveTradingDays
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Minimum Threshold Trading Days

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMinimumThresholdTradingDays
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share Price Threshold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pae_SharePriceThreshold
Namespace Prefix:	pae_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of securities into which each warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, each warrant may be converted into two shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByEachWarrantOrRight
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of common stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period between issuance and expiration of outstanding warrant and right embodying unconditional obligation requiring redemption by transferring asset at specified or determinable date or upon event certain to occur, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WarrantsAndRightsOutstandingTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=pae_ShayHoldingCorporationMergerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContingentConsiderationByTypeAxis=pae_EarnOutSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContingentConsiderationByTypeAxis=pae_EarnOutSharesTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContingentConsiderationByTypeAxis=pae_EarnOutSharesTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContingentConsiderationByTypeAxis=pae_EarnOutSharesTrancheThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContingentConsiderationByTypeAxis=pae_EarnOutSharesTrancheFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=pae_PublicWarrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stockholders' Equity (Details) - $ / shares		3 Months Ended
Stockholders' Equity (Details) - $ / shares	Feb. 10, 2020	Mar. 29, 2020	Apr. 03, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Capital stock authorized (in shares)		211,000,000
Common stock par value (in dollars per share)		$ 0.0001		$ 0.0001
Preferred stock par value (in dollars per share)		$ 0.0001		$ 0.0001
Common stock authorized (in shares)		210,000,000		210,000,000
Preferred stock authorized (in shares)		1,000,000		1,000,000
Class of warrant or right, outstanding (in shares)		19,999,985
Shay Holding Corporation Merger \| Earn-Out Shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Period following completion of business combination (in years)	5 years
Shay Holding Corporation Merger \| Earn-Out Shares, Tranche One
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum additional earn-out (in shares)		1,000,000
Share price threshold (in dollars per share)		$ 13.00
Shay Holding Corporation Merger \| Earn-Out Shares, Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum additional earn-out (in shares)		1,000,000
Share price threshold (in dollars per share)		$ 15.50
Shay Holding Corporation Merger \| Earn-Out Shares, Tranche Three
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum additional earn-out (in shares)		1,000,000
Share price threshold (in dollars per share)		$ 18.00
Shay Holding Corporation Merger \| Earn-Out Shares, Tranche Four
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum additional earn-out (in shares)		1,000,000
Share price threshold (in dollars per share)		$ 20.50
Public Warrants
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Redeemable price of warrants or rights (in dollars per share)		0.01
Private Placement
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Redeemable price of warrants or rights (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01
Class A Common Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock par value (in dollars per share)					$ 0.00001
Number of securities called by each warrant or right (in shares)		1
Exercise price of warrants or rights (in dollars per shares)		$ 11.50
Expiration period of warrants (in years)		5 years
Class A Common Stock \| Shay Holding Corporation Merger \| Earn-Out Shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum additional earn-out (in shares)	4,000,000
Minimum threshold trading days		10 days
Consecutive trading days		20 days
Class A Common Stock \| Public Warrants
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Class of warrant or right, outstanding (in shares)		13,333,319
Class A Common Stock \| Public Warrants \| Subsequent Event
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Class of warrant or right, outstanding (in shares)			13,333,333
Class A Common Stock \| Private Placement
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Class of warrant or right, outstanding (in shares)		6,666,666
Share price threshold (in dollars per share)		$ 18.00
Number of trading days		20 days
Trading day period		30 days
Class A Common Stock \| Private Placement \| Subsequent Event
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Class of warrant or right, outstanding (in shares)			6,666,666