CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 702,274	$ 393,893
Net receivables	945,611	902,750
Net inventories	242,028	236,074
Income tax receivable	22,228
Deferred income tax assets	65,843	67,813
Other current assets	81,249	118,448
Total current assets	2,059,233	1,718,978
Net property, plant, and equipment	587,749	561,931
Goodwill	1,251,536	1,183,910
Deferred income tax assets	100,519	140,439
Deferred charges and other non-current assets	444,808	264,366
Total assets	4,443,845	3,869,624
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	320,000	13,750
Accounts payable	292,281	273,718
Contract advances and allowances	121,927	106,819
Accrued compensation	135,442	172,630
Accrued income taxes		14,609
Other accrued liabilities	193,836	206,289
Total current liabilities	1,063,486	787,815
Long-term debt	1,289,709	1,379,804
Postretirement and postemployment benefits liabilities	126,012	142,541
Accrued pension liability	671,356	622,576
Other long-term liabilities	127,160	129,466
Total liabilities	3,277,723	3,062,202
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 10, 12 and 13)
Common stock-$.01 par value: Authorized-180,000,000 shares Issued and outstanding-33,519,072 shares at March 31, 2011 and 33,047,018 shares at March 31, 2010	335	330
Additional paid-in-capital	559,279	578,046
Retained earnings	2,005,651	1,699,176
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(787,077)	(821,086)
Common stock in treasury, at cost-8,036,377 shares held at March 31, 2011 and 8,508,431 shares held at March 31, 2010	(621,430)	(657,872)
Total Alliant Techsystems Inc. stockholders' equity	1,156,758	798,594
Noncontrolling interest	9,364	8,828
Total stockholders' equity	1,166,122	807,422
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 4,443,845	$ 3,869,624