Operating Segments and Related Information (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 437,647	$ 381,928	$ 392,975	$ 344,517	$ 434,366	$ 375,366	$ 369,380	$ 351,542	$ 1,557,067	$ 1,530,654	$ 1,496,372
Intersegment revenue									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from operations									305,764	259,244	240,743
Surveillance
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue									503,045	519,982	554,567
Intersegment revenue									10,761	7,209	5,928
Earnings (loss) from operations									145,637	127,222	135,550
Instruments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue									347,476	354,124	337,531
Intersegment revenue									9,951	1,793	7,312
Earnings (loss) from operations									112,353	98,954	81,070
OEM & Emerging Markets
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue									226,575	179,090	141,005
Intersegment revenue									12,033	11,017	0
Earnings (loss) from operations									28,140	24,871	17,340
Maritime
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue									186,722	199,096	183,975
Intersegment revenue									33,059	21,856	25,063
Earnings (loss) from operations									41,065	50,249	39,269
Security
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue									177,948	192,636	189,076
Intersegment revenue									2,108	2,936	0
Earnings (loss) from operations									13,611	24,494	22,287
Detection
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue									115,301	85,726	90,218
Intersegment revenue									0	95	1,730
Earnings (loss) from operations									26,904	10,958	8,888
Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intersegment revenue									67,912	44,906	40,033
Other Segments
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) from operations									$ (61,945)	$ (77,504)	$ (63,661)