INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
Current:
Federal	$ 1,726,000	$ 16,362,000	$ 11,417,000
State	1,036,000	4,611,000	3,691,000
Foreign	19,436,000	15,268,000	11,090,000
Total current	22,198,000	36,241,000	26,198,000
Deferred:
Federal	8,582,000	268,000	2,516,000
State	960,000	69,000	420,000
Foreign	829,000	(1,293,000)	420,000
Total deferred provision (benefit)	10,371,000	(956,000)	3,356,000
Total income tax expense	32,569,000	35,285,000	29,554,000
Deferred tax assets:
Accrued employee benefits	9,303,000	9,112,000
Acquired net operating losses	1,432,000
Long-term contracts and inventory valuation reductions	11,142,000	9,612,000
Allowances for loss contingencies	6,894,000	6,144,000
Book over tax depreciation	1,436,000	1,964,000
Deferred compensation	3,444,000	3,246,000
Adjustment to pension liability	15,137,000	13,204,000
California research and development credit carryforward	4,363,000	4,762,000
Other	3,539,000	1,919,000
Subtotal	56,690,000	49,963,000
Valuation allowance	(4,363,000)	(4,762,000)
Deferred tax assets	52,327,000	45,201,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Amortization of goodwill and intangibles	12,113,000	1,770,000
Deferred revenue	11,702,000
Prepaid expenses	2,472,000	2,080,000
State taxes	800,000	850,000
Other	144,000	4,106,000
Deferred tax liabilities	27,231,000	8,806,000
Net deferred tax asset	25,096,000	36,395,000
Increase in deferred tax liabilities	$ 11,700,000