Restatement of Condensed Consolidated Financial statements (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Net sales:
Products	$ 189,743	$ 142,055	$ 498,829	$ 428,854
Services	175,654	180,732	522,979	523,706
Total net sales	365,397	322,787	1,021,808	952,560
Costs and expenses:
Products	118,431	101,486	338,564	296,090
Services	153,552	144,992	430,602	419,605
Selling, general and administrative	42,751	37,981	121,010	114,631
Research and development	8,427	6,281	21,395	17,807
Amortization of purchased intangibles	3,650	4,257	11,357	10,607
Total costs and expenses	326,811	294,997	922,928	858,740
Operating income	38,586	27,790	98,880	93,820
Other income (expenses):
Interest and dividend income	697	490	2,423	1,729
Interest expense	(221)	(374)	(899)	(1,155)
Other income (expense) - net	(950)	1,232	95	(462)
Income before income taxes	38,112	29,138	100,499	93,932
Income taxes	11,338	7,032	29,538	24,702
Net income	26,774	22,106	70,961	69,230
Less noncontrolling interest in income of VIE	53	56	149	261
Net income attributable to Cubic	26,721	22,050	70,812	68,969
Basic and diluted net income per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00	$ 0.82	$ 2.65	$ 2.58
Basic average number of common shares outstanding (in shares)	26,736	26,736	26,736	26,736
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding (in shares)	26,736	26,736	26,736	26,736
Revenue Recognition Adjustments
Net sales:
Products		(3,037)		(6,262)
Services		5,598		22,905
Total net sales		2,561		16,643
Costs and expenses:
Products		487		2,116
Services		341		690
Total costs and expenses		828		2,806
Operating income		1,733		13,837
Other income (expenses):
Other income (expense) - net		(44)		(123)
Income before income taxes		1,689		13,714
Income taxes		443		3,548
Net income		1,246		10,166
Net income attributable to Cubic		1,246		10,166
Basic and diluted net income per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.05		$ 0.38
Other Adjustments
Net sales:
Products		321		(2,376)
Total net sales		321		(2,376)
Costs and expenses:
Products		722		(1,931)
Selling, general and administrative		329		1,603
Total costs and expenses		1,051		(328)
Operating income		(730)		(2,048)
Other income (expenses):
Other income (expense) - net		509		(863)
Income before income taxes		(221)		(2,911)
Income taxes		(211)		(1,046)
Net income		(10)		(1,865)
Net income attributable to Cubic		(10)		(1,865)
Basic and diluted net income per common share (in dollars per share)				$ (0.07)
Reclassifications
Net sales:
Products		(3,670)		(3,670)
Services		3,670		3,670
Costs and expenses:
Products		(14,048)		(15,017)
Services		13,227		13,227
Selling, general and administrative		821		1,790
Previously Reported
Net sales:
Products		148,441		441,162
Services		171,464		497,131
Total net sales		319,905		938,293
Costs and expenses:
Products		114,325		310,922
Services		131,424		405,688
Selling, general and administrative		36,831		111,238
Research and development		6,281		17,807
Amortization of purchased intangibles		4,257		10,607
Total costs and expenses		293,118		856,262
Operating income		26,787		82,031
Other income (expenses):
Interest and dividend income		490		1,729
Interest expense		(374)		(1,155)
Other income (expense) - net		767		524
Income before income taxes		27,670		83,129
Income taxes		6,800		22,200
Net income		20,870		60,929
Less noncontrolling interest in income of VIE		56		261
Net income attributable to Cubic		20,814		60,668
Basic and diluted net income per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.78		$ 2.27
Basic average number of common shares outstanding (in shares)		26,736		26,736
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding (in shares)		26,736		26,736
Adjustments
Other income (expenses):
Net income		$ 1,236		$ 8,301