ACQUISITIONS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands								1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			22 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2016	Dec. 21, 2015	Nov. 04, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 16, 2014	Feb. 28, 2014	Nov. 26, 2013	May 31, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2016
Acquisitions
Net sales										$ 406,588	$ 375,240	$ 366,024	$ 313,813	$ 425,917	$ 347,806	$ 338,834	$ 318,488	$ 1,461,665	$ 1,431,045	$ 1,398,352
Compensation expense not expected to be deductible for tax purposes																		6,300
Amortization of purchased intangibles																		34,120	27,550	22,602
Change in fair value of contingent consideration																		1,274	3,607
Net income																		1,735	22,914	69,580
Purchase price allocation
Goodwill				$ 237,899						406,946				$ 237,899				406,946	237,899	184,141	$ 406,946
Estimated amortization expense related to the intangible assets
2017										32,384								32,384			32,384
2018										26,819								26,819			26,819
2019										20,536								20,536			20,536
2020										14,293								14,293			14,293
2021										10,591								10,591			10,591
Thereafter										18,780								18,780			18,780
Unaudited pro forma information
Net sales																		1,481,700	1,512,400
Net income attributable to Cubic																		800	$ 23,100
Adjustments made for transaction expenses																		0
Transaction Systems Limited (TranSys)
Acquisitions
Cash consideration paid				$ 1,000
Ownership percentage																			50.00%
GATR
Acquisitions
Net sales																		42,900
Compensation expense paid																		18,100
Compensation expense not expected to be deductible for tax purposes																		15,800
Amortization of purchased intangibles																		9,700
Transaction and acquisition related costs																		500
Change in fair value of contingent consideration																		700
Net income																		(23,000)
Fair value of consideration transferred	$ 220,500
Cash consideration paid	231,300
Fair value of contingent consideration	2,500
Fair value of additional cash consideration due to the seller, including the Holdback Consideration and contingent consideration	4,800
Cash paid related to compensation expenses																		18,100
Purchase price allocation
Accounts receivable	10,600
Inventory	3,400
Income tax receivable	5,100
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(2,400)
Tax liabilities	(23,800)
Net identifiable assets acquired	64,600
Goodwill	155,900
Net assets acquired	$ 220,500
Weighted average useful life of intangible assets	9 years
Estimated amortization expense related to the intangible assets
2017										12,700								12,700			12,700
2018										11,100								11,100			11,100
2019										9,800								9,800			9,800
2020										8,300								8,300			8,300
2021										6,900								6,900			6,900
Thereafter										13,200								13,200			13,200
GATR | Maximum
Acquisitions
Additional cash consideration accelerated if certain event occurs	$ 7,500
GATR | Customer relationships
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets	51,700
GATR | Backlog
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets	3,400
GATR | Technology
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets	10,700
GATR | Non-compete agreements
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets	1,200
GATR | Trade names
Purchase price allocation
Other intangible assets	$ 4,700
TeraLogics
Acquisitions
Net sales																		14,200
Compensation expense paid													1,300
Amortization of purchased intangibles																		3,000
Transaction and acquisition related costs													$ 900
Net income																		(1,700)
Fair value of consideration transferred		$ 33,900
Cash consideration paid		28,900
Fair value of contingent consideration		5,000
Purchase price allocation
Accounts receivable		1,400
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		(500)
Other net liabilities assumed		(100)
Net identifiable assets acquired		15,700
Goodwill		18,200
Net assets acquired		$ 33,900
Weighted average useful life of intangible assets		7 years
Estimated amortization expense related to the intangible assets
2017										3,500								3,500			3,500
2018										2,800								2,800			2,800
2019										2,100								2,100			2,100
2020										1,400								1,400			1,400
2021										800								800			800
Thereafter										1,400								1,400			1,400
TeraLogics | Maximum
Acquisitions
Additional cash consideration accelerated if certain event occurs		$ 9,000
TeraLogics | Maximum | Revenue thresholds
Acquisitions
Additional cash consideration accelerated if certain event occurs		6,000
TeraLogics | Maximum | Contract extensions
Acquisitions
Additional cash consideration accelerated if certain event occurs		3,000
TeraLogics | Customer relationships
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets		6,700
TeraLogics | Backlog
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets		5,600
TeraLogics | Software
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets		2,500
TeraLogics | Non-compete agreements
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets		$ 100
H4 Global
Acquisitions
Net sales																		2,200
Transaction and acquisition related costs																		100
Net income																		400
Fair value of consideration transferred			$ 1,900
Cash consideration paid			900
Fair value of contingent consideration			$ 1,000
Contingent consideration paid based upon contracts entered period			5 years
H4 Global | Maximum
Acquisitions
Contingent consideration paid based upon the value of contracts entered			$ 4,100
DTECH
Acquisitions
Net sales																		20,300	$ 45,800
Amortization of purchased intangibles																		8,000
Transaction and acquisition related costs																			800
Change in fair value of contingent consideration																		(500)	3,600
Net income																		2,100	500
Fair value of consideration transferred					$ 99,400
Cash consideration paid																					96,300
Fair value of additional cash consideration due to the seller, including the Holdback Consideration and contingent consideration										6,500								6,500			6,500
Additional cash consideration accelerated if certain event occurs					4,700
General and Administrative Expense																			3,600
Fair value of the potential customer					4,500
Cost of acquisition net					99,500
Estimated fair value of the liability for contingent consideration					3,900
Purchase price allocation
Cash					900
Accounts receivable					5,400
Inventory					4,200
Warranty obligation					(400)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses					(3,400)
Tax liabilities					(3,300)
Other net assets acquired					200
Net identifiable assets acquired					41,500
Goodwill					57,900
Net assets acquired					$ 99,400
Weighted average useful life of intangible assets					7 years
Estimated amortization expense related to the intangible assets
2017										6,800								6,800			6,800
2018										5,500								5,500			5,500
2019										4,100								4,100			4,100
2020										2,800								2,800			2,800
2021										1,500								1,500			1,500
DTECH | Maximum
Acquisitions
Contingent Amount					$ 15,000
DTECH | Customer relationships
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets					35,100
DTECH | Backlog
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets					2,100
DTECH | Non-compete agreements
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets					$ 700
Intific
Acquisitions
Net sales																		17,300	14,700
Net income																		(800)	(1,800)
Fair value of consideration transferred						$ 12,400
Cash consideration paid																			1,200	11,200
Purchase price allocation
Other intangible assets						200
Accounts receivable						1,500
Deferred tax assets						1,500
Accounts payable and accrued expenses						(600)
Tax liabilities						(1,500)
Other net assets acquired						500
Net identifiable assets acquired						5,000
Goodwill						7,400
Net assets acquired						$ 12,400
Weighted average useful life of intangible assets						2 years
Estimated amortization expense related to the intangible assets
2017										600								600			600
2018										500								500			500
2019										200								200			200
2020										100								100			100
Intific | Customer relationships
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets						$ 2,000
Intific | Backlog
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets						700
Intific | Technology
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets						$ 700
ITMS
Acquisitions
Net sales																		41,300	47,000	43,700
Transaction and acquisition related costs																				500
Net income																		(7,000)	$ (3,000)	$ (2,300)
Fair value of consideration transferred							$ 72,200
Cash consideration paid								$ 3,200	$ 69,000
Purchase price allocation
Accounts receivable - billed							4,400
Accounts receivable - unbilled							6,900
Deferred tax liabilities, net							200
Deferred revenue							(2,600)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses							(4,600)
Other net assets acquired							2,600
Net identifiable assets acquired							31,400
Goodwill							40,800
Net assets acquired							$ 72,200
Weighted average useful life of intangible assets							2 years
Estimated amortization expense related to the intangible assets
2017										3,600								3,600			3,600
2018										2,700								2,700			2,700
2019										900								900			900
2020										$ 100								$ 100			$ 100
ITMS | Customer relationships
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets							$ 15,700
ITMS | Backlog
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets							5,700
ITMS | Intellectual property
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets							1,600
ITMS | Supplier relationships
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets							600
ITMS | Agreements with Seller
Purchase price allocation
Amortizable intangible assets							$ 1,300