A simple explanation why the RAF's contribution is practically valuable and here is a single passage:
....the most significant British contribution to the campaign may not be in the form of armed jets. The Royal Air Force has been using its considerable surveillance capabilities against IS since the beginning of the campaign, and while a few more bomber planes may look flashy on newscasts, they may not make a huge difference in practical terms. Airplanes devoted to electronic listening, on the other hand, do add a hugely important capability to the international coalition rallied against the Islamic State.
Link:https://news.vice.com/article/a-litt...syria-air-war?

IIRC Vice News is an international agency and I have yet to see any decent MSM reporting here.