CONSOLIDATING GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) - Summary of consolidated balance sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 126,104	$ 209,654	$ 171,912	$ 243,029
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	271,743	239,857
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	117,273	70,777
Inventories, net	219,329	257,868
Prepaid and other current assets	58,711	47,472
Assets of discontinued operations	554	587
Total Current Assets	793,714	826,215
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	348,440	356,879
GOODWILL	356,375	358,372
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	221,783	230,473
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	25,668	31,317
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,646	2,936
Total Assets	1,748,626	1,806,192
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	13,384	17,703
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	238,651	252,041
Liabilities of discontinued operations	1,690	3,639
Total Current Liabilities	253,725	273,383
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	678,307	681,907
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	181,589	193,107
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,631	3,643
Total Liabilities	1,116,252	1,152,040
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	632,374	654,152
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	1,748,626	1,806,192
Parent Company [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	35,260	125,093	103,616	178,448
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	1,185	(851)
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	36,445	124,242
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	987	1,224
GOODWILL	0	0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	576,447	508,984
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,187,091	2,143,427
OTHER ASSETS	47,265	49,718
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	2,848,235	2,827,595
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,156	1,625
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	26,463	44,649
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	27,619	46,274
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	656,230	655,023
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	20,519	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	64,419	68,827
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	768,787	770,124
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,079,448	2,057,471
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,848,235	2,827,595
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	23,036	34,782	26,554	15,164
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	230,970	187,487
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	117,281	69,216
Inventories, net	161,642	194,618
Prepaid and other current assets	24,258	23,929
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	557,187	510,032
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	246,079	244,261
GOODWILL	288,147	288,147
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	161,421	164,633
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	889,614	648,347
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	532,330	528,411
OTHER ASSETS	57,942	60,609
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	2,732,720	2,444,440
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,070	1,032
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	163,612	167,230
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	164,682	168,262
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	9,277	9,782
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	817,784	558,905
OTHER LIABILITIES	176,856	183,989
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,168,599	920,938
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,564,121	1,523,502
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,732,720	2,444,440
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	67,808	49,779	41,742	49,417
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	73,943	81,274
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	(8)	1,561
Inventories, net	57,395	63,203
Prepaid and other current assets	18,659	21,968
Assets of discontinued operations	554	587
Total Current Assets	218,351	218,372
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	101,374	111,394
GOODWILL	68,228	70,225
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	60,362	65,840
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	590,955	542,025
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,690,519	2,650,083
OTHER ASSETS	7,659	8,188
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,646	2,936
Total Assets	3,740,094	3,669,063
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	11,158	15,046
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	67,137	66,640
Liabilities of discontinued operations	1,690	3,639
Total Current Liabilities	79,985	85,325
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	12,800	17,102
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	1,187,936	1,149,748
OTHER LIABILITIES	27,512	27,489
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,631	3,643
Total Liabilities	1,310,864	1,283,307
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,429,230	2,385,751
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,740,094	3,669,058
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	(33,170)	(28,904)
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	0	0
Inventories, net	292	47
Prepaid and other current assets	14,609	2,426
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	(18,269)	(26,431)
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	0	0
GOODWILL	0	0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	(2,057,016)	(1,699,356)
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	(5,409,940)	(5,321,921)
OTHER ASSETS	(87,198)	(87,198)
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	(7,572,423)	(7,134,906)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(18,561)	(26,478)
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	(18,561)	(26,478)
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	(2,026,239)	(1,708,653)
OTHER LIABILITIES	(87,198)	(87,198)
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	(2,131,998)	(1,822,329)
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(5,440,425)	(5,312,572)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (7,572,423)	$ (7,134,901)