CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Net sales:
Products	$ 661,904	$ 607,226	$ 583,937
Services	799,761	823,819	814,415
Total net sales	1,461,665	1,431,045	1,398,352
Costs and expenses:
Products	473,444	451,295	424,682
Services	643,462	640,031	657,853
Selling, general and administrative expenses	269,593	212,518	181,672
Research and development	31,976	17,992	17,959
Amortization of purchased intangibles	34,120	27,550	22,602
Restructuring costs	1,852	6,272	1,094
Total costs and expenses	1,454,447	1,355,658	1,305,862
Operating income (loss)	7,218	75,387	92,490
Other income (expense):
Interest and dividend income	1,476	1,809	1,396
Interest expense	(11,199)	(4,400)	(4,084)
Pension settlement loss	(2,671)
Other income (expense), net	(2,301)	(885)	(391)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(7,477)	71,911	89,411
Income tax expense (benefit)	(9,212)	48,997	19,831
Net income	1,735	22,914	69,580
Less noncontrolling interest in income of VIE		29	89
Net income attributable to Cubic	$ 1,735	$ 22,885	$ 69,491
Net income per share attributable to Cubic:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.85	$ 2.59
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 0.85	$ 2.59
Weighted average shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (in shares)	26,976	26,872	26,787
Diluted (in shares)	27,040	26,938	26,845