<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-01</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000023197</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COMTECH TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cmtl</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001213269</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KANTOR EDWIN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>105 BAYLIS ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MELVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11747</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option Right to Buy</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.02</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>7500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.02</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-08-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock par value $.10 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>7500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21750</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Option was granted under the Company's 2000 Stock Incentive Plan</footnote><footnote id="F2">Balance reflects 3-for-2 stock split in July 2003.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Edwin Kantor</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

