It didn't end just at the ICBM of course or even the nuclear submarine. Satellite warfare became and is still a huge focus. Of course the public was pitched the maintenance bay of the space shuttle was to repair a peaceful satellite only. However, you can imagine how supremely useful it would be for a modern military to have the capability of deploying sappers and a workshop on any object in earth's orbit as well, which is what the space shuttle system also allowed for.