A method of avoiding collisions between a protected aircraft and surrounding aircraft, the method comprising: providing on the protected aircraft and on each of the surrounding aircraft a Link 16 transceiver and a collision avoidance datalink module in data communication with the Link 16 transceiver; using the Link 16 transceivers to establish a Link 16 network that enables the protected aircraft to exchange Link 16 messages with all of the surrounding aircraft, the Link 16 messages being transmitted in Link 16 timeslots; determining by the protected aircraft of positions of the surrounding aircraft relative to the protected aircraft; designating as nearby aircraft all of the surrounding aircraft that are located within ten nautical miles of the protected aircraft; establishing a collision avoidance datalink between the protected aircraft and at least one of the nearby aircraft; exchanging datalink messages over the collision avoidance datalink, the datalink messages being generated and processed by the collision avoidance datalink modules, and being transmitted and received by the Link 16 transceivers; and detecting and avoiding potential collision threats at least partly based on the exchanged datalink messages; wherein the Link 16 transceivers transmit and receive the datalink messages by transmitting the datalink messages during propagation delay portions of the Link 16 timeslots that would otherwise be reserved for propagation delays of the Link 16 messages transmitted during the Link 16 timeslots, such that each Link 16 timeslot that contains a datalink message embedded in the propagation delay portion thereof is also able to contain a Link 16 message. providing on the protected aircraft and on each of the surrounding aircraft a Link 16 transceiver and a collision avoidance datalink module in data communication with the Link 16 transceiver; using the Link 16 transceivers to establish a Link 16 network that enables the protected aircraft to exchange Link 16 messages with all of the surrounding aircraft, the Link 16 messages being transmitted in Link 16 timeslots; determining by the protected aircraft of positions of the surrounding aircraft relative to the protected aircraft; designating as nearby aircraft all of the surrounding aircraft that are located within ten nautical miles of the protected aircraft; establishing a collision avoidance datalink between the protected aircraft and at least one of the nearby aircraft; exchanging datalink messages over the collision avoidance datalink, the datalink messages being generated and processed by the collision avoidance datalink modules, and being transmitted and received by the Link 16 transceivers; and detecting and avoiding potential collision threats at least partly based on the exchanged datalink messages; wherein the Link 16 transceivers transmit and receive the datalink messages by transmitting the datalink messages during propagation delay portions of the Link 16 timeslots that would otherwise be reserved for propagation delays of the Link 16 messages transmitted during the Link 16 timeslots, such that each Link 16 timeslot that contains a datalink message embedded in the propagation delay portion thereof is also able to contain a Link 16 message.