CONSOLIDATING GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Detail) - Summary of consolidated balance sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 171,912	$ 243,029	$ 246,554	$ 169,802
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	261,854	267,471
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	65,537	74,737
Inventories, net	269,878	263,809
Prepaid and other current assets	49,897	48,828
Assets of discontinued operations	1,303	1,381
Total Current Assets	820,381	899,255
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	357,627	350,050
GOODWILL	357,916	357,888
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	230,176	223,189
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	27,812	31,197
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,974	3,675
Total Assets	1,796,886	1,865,254
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	17,581	25,164
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	240,279	285,921
Liabilities of discontinued operations	3,077	3,794
Total Current Liabilities	260,937	314,879
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	685,355	688,247
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	193,523	204,434
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	4,033	5,786
Total Liabilities	1,143,848	1,213,346
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	653,038	651,908
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	1,796,886	1,865,254
Parent Company [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	103,616	178,448	174,739	74,600
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	0	0
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	3,705	1,839
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	107,321	180,287
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	1,248	1,402
GOODWILL	0	0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	529,568	449,112
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,183,293	2,844,527
OTHER ASSETS	49,644	54,354
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	2,871,074	3,529,682
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,624	5,375
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	38,737	36,765
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	40,361	42,140
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	654,630	649,812
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	74,335	79,655
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	769,326	771,607
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,101,748	2,758,075
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,871,074	3,529,682
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	26,554	15,164	29,911	57,113
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	206,645	190,986
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	62,831	73,755
Inventories, net	200,239	194,355
Prepaid and other current assets	25,861	40,436
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	522,130	514,696
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	243,476	224,193
GOODWILL	288,147	283,491
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	165,704	155,242
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	644,257	278,344
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	564,451	746,686
OTHER ASSETS	57,219	49,771
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	2,485,384	2,252,423
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,022	4,350
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	160,731	199,742
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	161,753	204,092
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	10,042	10,794
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	605,308	89,198
OTHER LIABILITIES	181,013	172,203
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	958,116	476,287
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,527,268	1,776,136
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,485,384	2,252,423
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	41,742	49,417	41,904	38,089
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	79,198	76,485
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	2,706	982
Inventories, net	69,639	69,454
Prepaid and other current assets	17,934	1,913
Assets of discontinued operations	1,303	1,381
Total Current Assets	212,522	199,632
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	112,903	124,455
GOODWILL	69,769	74,397
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	64,472	67,947
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	578,408	98,953
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,653,970	2,397,258
OTHER ASSETS	8,147	14,270
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,974	3,675
Total Assets	3,703,165	2,980,587
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	14,935	15,439
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	62,403	44,774
Liabilities of discontinued operations	3,077	3,794
Total Current Liabilities	80,415	64,007
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	20,683	27,641
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	1,146,925	737,211
OTHER LIABILITIES	25,373	39,774
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	4,033	5,786
Total Liabilities	1,277,429	874,419
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,425,736	2,106,168
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,703,165	2,980,587
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	(23,989)	0
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	2,397	4,640
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	(21,592)	4,640
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	0	0
GOODWILL	0	0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	(1,752,233)	(826,409)
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	(5,401,714)	(5,988,471)
OTHER ASSETS	(87,198)	(87,198)
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	(7,262,737)	(6,897,438)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(21,592)	4,640
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	(21,592)	4,640
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	(1,752,233)	(826,409)
OTHER LIABILITIES	(87,198)	(87,198)
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	(1,861,023)	(908,967)
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(5,401,714)	(5,988,471)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (7,262,737)	$ (6,897,438)