Retirement Benefits (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Schedule of Amount of Expense Associated with Defined Contribution Plans

The amount of expense associated with defined contribution plans was as follows:

	Three-Months Ended				Six-Months Ended
	March 31,				March 31,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Company costs	$	8,497	$	8,910	$	16,533	$	17,614

Schedule of Estimated Remaining Cash Contributions

Woodward estimates its remaining cash contributions in fiscal year 2021 will be as follows:

Retirement pension benefits:
United States	$	—
United Kingdom		328
Japan		—
Germany		385
Other postretirement benefits		2,135

Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Schedule of Net Periodic Benefit Costs

The components of the net periodic retirement pension costs recognized are as follows:

	Three-Months Ended March 31,
	United States						Other Countries						Total
	2021			2020			2021			2020			2021			2020
Service cost	$	432		$	415		$	736		$	708		$	1,168		$	1,123
Interest cost		1,239			1,397			343			319			1,582			1,716
Expected return on plan assets		(3,536	)		(3,086	)		(625	)		(708	)		(4,161	)		(3,794	)
Amortization of:
Net actuarial loss		135			357			234			260			369			617
Prior service cost		243			234			6			6			249			240
Net periodic retirement pension (benefit) cost	$	(1,487	)	$	(683	)	$	694		$	585		$	(793	)	$	(98	)
Contributions paid	$	—		$	—		$	675		$	601		$	675		$	601
	Six-Months Ended March 31,
	United States						Other Countries						Total
	2021			2020			2021			2020			2021			2020
Service cost	$	864		$	830		$	1,465		$	1,418		$	2,329		$	2,248
Interest cost		2,478			2,795			676			640			3,154			3,435
Expected return on plan assets		(7,072	)		(6,173	)		(1,227	)		(1,540	)		(8,299	)		(7,713	)
Amortization of:
Net actuarial loss		270			715			462			521			732			1,236
Prior service cost		485			468			12			12			497			480
Net periodic retirement pension (benefit) cost	$	(2,975	)	$	(1,365	)	$	1,388		$	1,051		$	(1,587	)	$	(314	)
Contributions paid	$	—		$	—		$	1,218		$	1,732		$	1,218		$	1,732

Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Schedule of Net Periodic Benefit Costs

The components of the net periodic other postretirement benefit costs recognized are as follows:

	Three-Months Ended				Six-Months Ended
	March 31,				March 31,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Service cost	$	1	$	—	$	1	$	1
Interest cost		149		196		299		391
Amortization of:
Net actuarial loss		8		11		15		23
Prior service cost		1		—		1		1
Net periodic other postretirement cost	$	159	$	207	$	316	$	416
Contributions paid	$	940	$	176	$	978	$	521