Discontinued Operations - Results of Discontinued Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ 15.9	$ 447.0	$ 934.7
Shape Cutting Businesses [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue	30.2	33.5	17.6
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes	0.6	(2.5)	(3.2)
Gain on sale before tax	9.0
Income tax expense (benefit)		(1.1)	(1.1)
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	9.6	(1.4)	(2.1)
Other [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes	0.4	(108.9)	10.7
Gain on sale before tax			(0.2)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(5.9)	(26.7)	24.6
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	6.3	(82.2)	(14.1)
Other [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transformation costs		134.1
Total Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue	30.2	8,057.1	9,262.2
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes	1.0	683.1	1,134.6
Gain on sale before tax	9.0		125.6
Income tax expense (benefit)	(5.9)	236.1	325.5
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	15.9	447.0	934.7
Total Discontinued Operations [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transformation costs		240.1
Exelis [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue		4,916.1	5,893.1
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes		473.0	718.2
Income tax expense (benefit)		193.6	250.6
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax		279.4	467.6
Exelis [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transformation costs		31.2
Xylem [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue		3,107.5	3,191.7
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes		321.5	395.5
Income tax expense (benefit)		70.3	51.6
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax		251.2	343.9
Xylem [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transformation costs		74.8
CAS [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue			159.8
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes			13.4
Gain on sale before tax			125.8
Income tax expense (benefit)			(0.2)
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax			$ 139.4