For defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same.

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1) For defined benefit pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value as of a date of all benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered prior to that date. 2) For other postretirement defined benefit plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered to a particular date.

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Assets, usually stocks, bonds, and other investments, that have been segregated and restricted (usually in a trust) to provide benefits, at their fair value as of the measurement date. Plan assets include amounts contributed by the employer (and by employees for a contributory plan) and amounts earned from investing the contributions, less benefits paid. If a plan has liabilities other than for benefits, those non-benefit obligations may be considered as reductions of plan assets.

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Amount of employer's best estimate of contributions expected to be paid to the plan during the next fiscal year beginning after the date of the latest statement of financial position.

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This represents the entire liability recognized in the balance sheet that is associated with the defined benefit plans.

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Retirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) shares
Value of Company Stock Contributed to Defined Contribution Benefit Plans	$ 12,574	$ 11,193	$ 9,780
Treasury Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Benefit Plans \| shares	259	260	250
Shares of Woodward stock held in Woodward Retirement Savings Plan \| shares				4,887	5,176
Years of service required to be eligible to participate in plan				10 years
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				$ 208,101	$ 201,275	$ 190,423
Fair value of plan assets				196,253	205,161	190,175
Benefits paid				6,502	6,050
United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				145,870	137,740	126,532
Fair value of plan assets				135,590	142,090	$ 129,518
Benefits paid				4,078	$ 3,732
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year				$ 24
Discount rate support/source data				high-quality corporate bond yield curve matched with projected separate cash flows to settle the entire benefit obligations	bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better that have at least $50 million outstanding
Accumulated benefit obligation				$ 145,870	$ 137,423
United Kingdom Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				52,295
Fair value of plan assets				50,033
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year				544
Japan Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				9,936
Fair value of plan assets				10,630
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year				251
Switzerland Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Discount rate support/source data						high quality swap rates plus a credit spread of 0.20% in fiscal year 2013
Foreign Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				62,231	63,535	$ 63,891
Fair value of plan assets				60,663	63,071	60,657
Benefits paid				$ 2,424	2,318
Discount rate support/source data				In the United Kingdom and Japan, Woodward continues to use a high-quality corporate bond yield curve matched with separate cash flows to develop a single rate to determine the single rate equivalent to settle the entire benefit obligations in each jurisdiction
Accumulated benefit obligation				$ 59,742	61,041
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				34,927	29,225	28,996
Fair value of plan assets				0	0	0
Benefits paid				3,848	4,243
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year				4,103
Accumulated benefit obligation				$ 34,927	$ 29,225
Option to elect company provided medical insurance coverage up to this age and a Medicare supplemental plan after this age				65
Age employees were eligible to participate in plan				55
Approximate number of retired employees and their covered dependents and beneficiaries currently providing postretirement benefits				850
Approximate number of active employees and their covered dependants and beneficiaries who may receive postretirement benefits in the future				35
United Kingdom, Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Projected benefit obligation				$ 486
Benefits paid				$ 15
Discount rate support/source data				high-quality corporate bond yield curve matched with separate cash flows to develop a single rate to determine the single rate equivalent to settle the entire benefit obligations
United States Postretirement Benefit Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]
Discount rate support/source data				high-quality corporate bond yield curve matched with projected separate cash flows to settle the entire benefit obligations	bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better that have at least $50 million outstanding
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				$ 668	$ 484
Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. government securities fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				4,716	4,566
Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. long-term government securities fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				10,583	5,569
Mutual funds: U.S. corporate bond fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				56,210	56,559
Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. corporate bonds fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				16,613	16,897
Equity Funds [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets					12,327
Pooled funds: Japanese fixed income securities [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				4,805	4,676
Pooled funds: International fixed income securities [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				1,624	1,638
Mutual funds: U.S. equity large cap fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				47,517	49,220
Mutual funds: International equity large cap growth fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				31,396	35,995
Pooled funds: Japanese equity securities [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				2,116	2,330
Pooled funds: International equity securities [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				1,982	2,067
Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. equity fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				8,687	6,240
Pooled funds: Index linked international equity fund [Member] \| Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Fair value of plan assets				9,336	6,593
Business Acquisition, Acquiree - Duarte Business [Member]
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans Liabilities				95
Total stockholders equity
Value of Company Stock Contributed to Defined Contribution Benefit Plans				12,574	11,193	9,780
Treasury Stock at Cost [Member]
Value of Company Stock Contributed to Defined Contribution Benefit Plans				$ 8,084	$ 8,356	$ 7,857
Treasury Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Benefit Plans \| shares				259	260	250