CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE EARNINGS - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jul. 01, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jul. 01, 2016
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net earnings	$ 90.6	$ 98.9	$ 167.6	$ 284.9
Defined benefit pension and post-retirement benefit plans:
Amortization of prior service cost included in net periodic benefit cost, net of tax benefit of $0.0 and $0.1 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and $0.0 and $0.1 for the corresponding periods of fiscal year 2016, respectively.	(0.2)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.2)
Amortization of net actuarial loss included in net periodic benefit cost, net of tax expense of ($0.2) and ($0.6) for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and ($0.1) and ($0.4) for the corresponding periods of fiscal year 2016, respectively.	0.9	0.6	2.7	1.8
Defined benefit pension and post-retirement benefit plans	0.7	0.5	2.3	1.6
Derivative instruments:
Change in unrealized gain (loss), net of tax (expense) benefit of ($0.2) and $0.3 for the three and nine months ended July 1, 2016, respectively.	0.0	0.2	0.0	(0.6)
Reclassification adjustments, net of tax expense of ($0.2) for both the three and nine months ended July 1, 2016, respectively.	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.4
Derivative instruments	0.0	0.7	0.0	(0.2)
Available-for-sale securities:
Change in unrealized loss, net of tax benefit of $0.1 for the nine months ended July 1, 2016.	0.0	0.0	0.0	(0.3)
Reclassification adjustments, net of tax expense of ($0.2) for the nine months ended July 1, 2016.	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4
Available-for-sale securities	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1
Currency translation adjustment	14.7	(4.3)	4.5	0.9
Other comprehensive earnings (loss)	15.4	(3.1)	6.8	2.4
Comprehensive earnings	106.0	95.8	174.4	287.3
Less: Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.2	0.1	0.7	0.1
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Varian	$ 105.8	$ 95.7	$ 173.7	$ 287.2