Merger and Divestiture - Merger (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		2 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Feb. 09, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares		Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares		Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) entity	Oct. 04, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 02, 2015 shares	Dec. 28, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2014 USD ($)
Business Acquisitions [Line Items]
Vista shares received for each Company common stock | shares				2		2
Company distributed shares of Vista Outdoor common stock to its stockholders | shares													63,900,000
Sales from discontinued operations						$ 1,595,589		$ 1,781,437		$ 1,849,891
Number of acquisitions | entity										0
Goodwill		$ 1,862,255	[1]	$ 1,828,366	[1]	$ 1,828,366	[1]	$ 1,862,255	[1]	$ 1,039,763	$ 1,862,255	$ 1,862,255		$ 1,039,763	$ 1,039,763	$ 1,039,763
Orbital Sciences Corporation
Business Acquisitions [Line Items]
Percent of OA common stock owned by Orbital Sciences stockholders				46.20%		46.20%
Percent of OA common stock owned by Company stockholders				53.80%		53.80%
Business acquisition, cash paid for working capital adjustment				$ 1,800,000		$ 1,800,000
Revenue of acquiree since acquisition date, actual		191,000
Pre-tax Income of acquiree since acquisition date, actual		$ 16,000
Payments for merger related costs				$ 34,900
Cash	$ 253,734
Net receivables	558,639
Net inventories	75,294
Intangibles	179,000
Property, plant and equipment	277,438
Deferred tax assets, net	62,466
Other assets	36,878
Goodwill	822,903
Accounts payable	(52,028)
Contract fair value liabilities	(130,888)
Other liabilities	(325,459)
Total purchase price	$ 1,757,977
Merger-date share price | $ / shares	$ 63.94
Common Stock | Orbital Sciences Corporation
Business Acquisitions [Line Items]
Total purchase price	$ 1,749,323
Equity-based awards | Orbital Sciences Corporation
Business Acquisitions [Line Items]
Total purchase price	$ 8,654
Common Stock
Business Acquisitions [Line Items]
Stock issued during period, acquisitions (shares) | shares								27,358,827
Common Stock | Orbital Sciences Corporation
Business Acquisitions [Line Items]
Shares, conversion ratio				0.449		0.449
Stock issued during period, acquisitions (shares) | shares								27,358,827
Number of shares issued to shareholders | shares	27,400,000

[1] See Note 2 - Restatement