Restatement of Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 125,343	$ 121,376	$ 203,892	$ 148,605	$ 174,116	$ 212,267
Restricted cash	68,984		69,381
Marketable securities			4,055
Accounts receivable - net	439,626		379,002
Recoverable income taxes	14,231		7,885
Inventories - net	64,303		59,746
Deferred income taxes and other current assets	29,743		18,638
Total current assets	742,230		742,599
Long-term contract receivables	17,410		19,021
Long-term capitalized costs	79,010		68,963
Property, plant and equipment - net	63,789		56,305
Deferred income taxes	18,181		19,322
Goodwill	186,808		136,094
Purchased intangibles - net	75,389		57,542
Other assets	15,107		9,772
Total assets	1,197,924		1,109,618
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	24,616		40,310
Customer advances	88,830		84,307
Accrued compensation and other current liabilities	143,938		109,253
Income taxes payable	9,842		12,731
Current portion of long-term debt	578		557
Total current liabilities	297,804		247,158
Long-term debt	102,166		102,363
Other long-term liabilities	46,390		43,017
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock	17,322		15,825
Retained earnings	761,262		740,002			721,333
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	8,855		(2,803)
Treasury stock at cost	(36,078)		(36,078)
Shareholders' equity related to Cubic	751,361		716,946
Noncontrolling interest in variable interest entity	203		134
Total shareholders' equity	751,564		717,080
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,197,924		1,109,618
Previously Reported
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			203,892	148,605	174,116	212,267
Restricted cash			69,381
Marketable securities			4,055
Accounts receivable - net			376,143
Recoverable income taxes			7,885
Inventories - net			54,400
Deferred income taxes and other current assets			18,638
Total current assets			734,394
Long-term contract receivables			19,249
Long-term capitalized costs			75,520
Property, plant and equipment - net			56,305
Deferred income taxes			19,322
Goodwill			136,094
Purchased intangibles - net			57,542
Other assets			9,772
Total assets			1,108,198
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable			39,016
Customer advances			103,187
Accrued compensation and other current liabilities			107,330
Income taxes payable			8,076
Current portion of long-term debt			557
Total current liabilities			258,166
Long-term debt			102,363
Other long-term liabilities			42,742
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock			15,825
Retained earnings			728,424			715,043
Accumulated other comprehensive loss			(3,378)
Treasury stock at cost			(36,078)
Shareholders' equity related to Cubic			704,793
Noncontrolling interest in variable interest entity			134
Total shareholders' equity			704,927
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity			1,108,198
Adjustments
Current assets:
Accounts receivable - net			2,859
Inventories - net			5,346
Total current assets			8,205
Long-term contract receivables			(228)
Long-term capitalized costs			(6,557)
Total assets			1,420
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable			1,294
Customer advances			(18,880)
Accrued compensation and other current liabilities			1,923
Income taxes payable			4,655
Total current liabilities			(11,008)
Other long-term liabilities			275
Shareholders' equity:
Retained earnings			11,578			6,290
Accumulated other comprehensive loss			575			500
Shareholders' equity related to Cubic			12,153
Total shareholders' equity			12,153
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity			$ 1,420