PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Defined Benefit Plans) (Narrative) (Detail) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) pension_plan	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	10
DomesticPensionandOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansNumberPensionPlans	3
ForeignPensionandOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansNumberPensionPlans	7
Domestic Qualified Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Plan assets as a percentage of consolidated assets	88.00%	88.00%
Domestic Qualified Pension Plan | CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Plan assets as a percentage of consolidated assets	3.00%	3.00%
Domestic Other Post-Employment Benefits Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Contributions made by employer | $	$ 2,250	$ 1,265
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans merged into parent plan	3
Domestic Non-Qualified Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	1
Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Plan assets as a percentage of consolidated assets	12.00%
Expected return on assets assumption	3.70%
SWITZERLAND | Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	1
United Kingdom [Member] | Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	1
GERMANY | Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	2
MEXICO | Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	2
Canada [Member] | Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	1
Curtiss-Wright [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of years of service	1 year
Vesting period	3 years
Period after which accruals will cease	15 years
Curtiss-Wright [Member] | Domestic Qualified Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	1
Noncurrent pension liability | $	$ 40,400	38,100
Discount rate decrease	0.75%
Curtiss-Wright [Member] | Domestic Other Post-Employment Benefits Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans	1
Expected employer contributions | $	$ 1,800
Postretirement benefit liability | $	24,400	22,000
Curtiss-Wright [Member] | Domestic Non-Qualified Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Noncurrent pension liability | $	40,400	39,400
Expected employer contributions | $	3,200
Curtiss-Wright [Member] | Foreign Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Noncurrent pension liability | $	3,300	5,100
Expected employer contributions | $	2,600
Total projected benefit obligation | $	$ 91,000	87,800
EMD [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percent of employees' gross pay withheld	1.50%
Willams Controls [Member] | Domestic Qualified Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of pension and other post retirement defined benefit plans merged into parent plan	2
Other Assets [Member] | Curtiss-Wright [Member] | Domestic Other Post-Employment Benefits Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discounted receivable | $	$ 400	$ 1,000