Special Charges - Restructuring plans and special charges (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended			18 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2018 USD ($) position	Dec. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2017 USD ($) position	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Special Charges
Special charges	$ 73	$ 55	$ 25	$ 13	$ 37	$ 73	$ 130	$ 123
Corporate
Special Charges
Special charges								1
Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							46	70
Severance Costs | Corporate
Special Charges
Special charges								1
Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges							26	15
Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges							58	20
Industrial | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							26	17
Industrial | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges							19	1
Bell
Special Charges
Special charges							23	5
Bell | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							3	4
Bell | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges							8
Textron Aviation
Special Charges
Special charges							28	35
Textron Aviation | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							11	33
Textron Aviation | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges								1
Textron Systems
Special Charges
Special charges							21	62
Textron Systems | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							6	15
Textron Systems | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges							(1)	13
2018 Restructuring Plan
Special Charges
Special charges	$ 73
Number of positions eliminated | position	400
Number of positions eliminated, as a percentage of total workforce	10
2018 Restructuring Plan | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges	$ 8
2018 Restructuring Plan | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges	18
2018 Restructuring Plan | Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges	73
2016 Restructuring Plan
Special Charges
Special charges		48	15	12	15		$ 90	123
Number of positions eliminated | position							2,100
Number of positions eliminated, as a percentage of total workforce							5
2016 Restructuring Plan | Corporate
Special Charges
Special charges									$ 1
2016 Restructuring Plan | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges									97
2016 Restructuring Plan | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges									32
2016 Restructuring Plan | Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges									38
2016 Restructuring Plan | Bell
Special Charges
Special charges									28
2016 Restructuring Plan | Textron Aviation
Special Charges
Special charges									63
2016 Restructuring Plan | Textron Systems
Special Charges
Special charges									83
Arctic Cat Acquisition
Special Charges
Special charges		$ (7)	$ (10)	$ (1)	$ (22)
Asset Impairments
Special Charges
Special charges	$ 47					$ 47	$ 46	38
Asset Impairments | Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges							1	2
Asset Impairments | Bell
Special Charges
Special charges							12	1
Asset Impairments | Textron Aviation
Special Charges
Special charges							17	1
Asset Impairments | Textron Systems
Special Charges
Special charges							16	$ 34
Asset Impairments | 2016 Restructuring Plan
Special Charges
Special charges									$ 84
Acquisition Integration/Transaction Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							12
Acquisition Integration/Transaction Costs | Industrial
Special Charges
Special charges							12
Acquisition Integration/Transaction Costs | Arctic Cat Acquisition
Special Charges
Special charges							12
Restructuring Costs | Arctic Cat Acquisition
Special Charges
Special charges							28
Restructuring Costs | Arctic Cat Acquisition | Severance Costs
Special Charges
Special charges							19
Restructuring Costs | Arctic Cat Acquisition | Contract Terminations and Other
Special Charges
Special charges							$ 9