CONSOLIDATING GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Detail) - Summary of consolidated balance sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	$ 150,065	$ 209,654	$ 177,358	$ 243,029
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	237,305	239,857
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	74,579	70,777
Inventories, net	268,109	257,868
Prepaid and other current assets	53,582	47,472
Assets of discontinued operations	571	587
Total Current Assets	784,211	826,215
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	357,419	356,879
GOODWILL	359,294	358,372
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	228,574	230,473
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	28,550	31,317
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,798	2,936
Total Assets	1,760,846	1,806,192
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	19,081	17,703
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	213,685	252,041
Liabilities of discontinued operations	2,084	3,639
Total Current Liabilities	234,850	273,383
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	679,538	681,907
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	186,860	193,107
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	3,395	3,643
Total Liabilities	1,104,643	1,152,040
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	656,203	654,152
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	1,760,846	1,806,192
Parent Company [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	88,662	125,093	115,354	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	(590)	(851)
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	88,072	124,242
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	1,125	1,224
GOODWILL	0	0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	529,904	508,984
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,202,773	2,143,427
OTHER ASSETS	47,913	49,718
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	2,869,787	2,827,595
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,625	1,625
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	27,737	44,649
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	29,362	46,274
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	655,427	655,023
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	67,611	68,827
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	752,400	770,124
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,117,387	2,057,471
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,869,787	2,827,595
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	18,705	34,782	18,344	15,164
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	198,199	187,487
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	74,131	69,216
Inventories, net	205,740	194,618
Prepaid and other current assets	23,792	23,929
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	520,567	510,032
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	246,816	244,261
GOODWILL	288,147	288,147
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	163,562	164,633
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	878,900	648,347
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	547,741	528,411
OTHER ASSETS	59,295	60,609
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	2,705,028	2,444,440
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,042	1,032
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	148,796	167,230
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	149,838	168,262
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	9,819	9,782
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	802,511	558,905
OTHER LIABILITIES	178,501	183,989
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,140,669	920,938
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,564,359	1,523,502
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,705,028	2,444,440
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	42,698	49,779	43,660	49,417
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	69,987	81,274
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	448	1,561
Inventories, net	62,075	63,203
Prepaid and other current assets	24,056	21,963
Assets of discontinued operations	571	587
Total Current Assets	199,835	218,367
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	109,478	111,394
GOODWILL	71,147	70,225
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	65,012	65,840
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	571,294	542,025
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,690,826	2,650,083
OTHER ASSETS	8,540	8,188
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	2,798	2,936
Total Assets	3,718,930	3,669,058
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	16,414	15,046
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	61,709	66,640
Liabilities of discontinued operations	2,084	3,639
Total Current Liabilities	80,207	85,325
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	14,292	17,102
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	1,148,109	1,149,748
OTHER LIABILITIES	27,946	27,489
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	3,395	3,643
Total Liabilities	1,273,949	1,283,307
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,444,981	2,385,751
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,718,930	3,669,058
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	(30,881)	(28,904)
Contract costs and recognized income not yet billed, net of progress payments	0	0
Inventories, net	294	47
Prepaid and other current assets	6,324	2,431
Assets of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Assets	(24,263)	(26,426)
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, net	0	0
GOODWILL	0	0
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	(1,980,098)	(1,699,356)
EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES	(5,441,340)	(5,321,921)
OTHER ASSETS	(87,198)	(87,198)
ASSETS OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Assets	(7,532,899)	(7,134,901)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(24,557)	(26,478)
Liabilities of discontinued operations	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	(24,557)	(26,478)
LONG-TERM DEBT, net of debt discounts	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	(1,950,620)	(1,708,653)
OTHER LIABILITIES	(87,198)	(87,198)
LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
Total Liabilities	(2,062,375)	(1,822,329)
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(5,470,524)	(5,312,572)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (7,532,899)	$ (7,134,901)