EXHIBIT 99.3


NEWS RELEASE



           APA OPTICS, INC. SELLS ITS OPTICS MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS
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     Minneapolis,  MN,  April 14, 2004.  APA Optics, Inc. (Blaine, MN) announced
today  that  it  sold  certain  assets  related  to  its  discontinued  Optics
manufacturing  segment  to  PNE,  Inc.  dba  IRD,  of  Litchfield,  MN,  for  an
undisclosed  amount  of  cash.   PNE will be subleasing a small portion of APA's
Blaine  facility  for  up  to  one year to conduct Optics manufacturing with the
purchased  assets.

     APA  Optics,  Inc. (Nasdaq:APAT) is a publicly traded company. APA designs,
develops,  manufactures  and  markets  advanced  products  for  fiber  optic
communications,  including  dense  wavelength  division  multiplexing  (DWDM)
components  and  Gallium  Nitride  compound  semiconductor-based  ultraviolet
detectors,  instruments  and consumer products. Additional information about APA
is  available  at  www.apaoptics.com.
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     Forward-looking  statements  contained herein are made pursuant to the safe
harbor  provisions  of  the  Private  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.  These
statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and judgments about
future  developments in the Company's business.  Certain important factors could
have  a  material  impact  on  the  Company's  performance,  including,  without
limitation,  delays in or increased costs of production, delays in or lower than
anticipated  sales  of the Company's new products, the Company's ability to sell
such  products  at a profitable price, the Company's ability to fund operations,
and  other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's filings with the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements.  The Company undertakes no obligation to
update  such  statements  to  reflect  actual  events.


APA Optics, Inc. Contact Information:
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Anil Jain
Chief Executive Officer
info@apaoptics.com
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763-784-4995