GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Trademarks [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Customer Intangible Assets [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other [Member]	Jul. 31, 2007 D3 Technologies, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 D3 Technologies, Inc. [Member] Trademarks [Member]	Jan. 31, 2009 Integrated Technologies, Inc. [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 TASS, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Valent Aerostructures, LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Aerostructures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Aerostructures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Engineering Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Engineering Services [Member]
Goodwill [Abstract]
Gross Goodwill			$ 184,967	$ 54,755										$ 135,431	$ 11,847	$ 49,536	$ 42,908
Accumulated impairment loss			(5,653)	(5,653)										(5,653)	(5,653)	0	0
Net Goodwill			179,314	49,102										129,778	6,194	49,536	42,908
Goodwill acquired									42,908		6,194	6,628	123,584
Intangible Assets [Abstract]
Indefinite-Lived Trademarks										4,222
Weighted average estimated useful life						4 years 6 months	18 years 6 months	5 years 3 months 18 days
Trademarks			5,000	4,582
Customer intangible assets			68,991	21,515
Other			1,481	582
Accumulated amortization			(11,138)	(9,037)
Intangible assets, net			64,334	17,642
Amortization expense on intangible assets			2,100	3,185	2,137
Impairment loss on intangible assets	1,163	[1]		1,163
Estimated annual amortization expense for these intangibles [Abstract]
2013			4,647
2014			4,524
2015			4,359
2016			4,134
2017			3,915
Thereafter			38,533
Nonamortizeable			4,222
Intangible assets, net			$ 64,334	$ 17,642

[1] During the first quarter of 2011, a triggering event occurred with regard to a certain proprietary technology intangible asset as a result of a failure to conclude a possible sale of a product line. The Company did not have plans to utilize this technology in the near term and believed the current market for the product line to be limited; thus, utilizing the income approach with a level 3 valuation, the Company expected zero cash flows. As such, a full impairment loss of $1,163 was recognized as of March 31, 2011. The impairment loss was recognized in the Aerostructures segment in the selling, general and administrative expenses line of the Consolidated Statements of Income.