EXHIBIT 99.1



NEWS RELEASE

  APA OPTICS ANNOUNCES SIGNING PURCHASE AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE CERTAIN ASSETS OF
                         COMPUTER SYSTEM PRODUCTS, INC.

     MINNEAPOLIS (March 5, 2003) - APA Optics (Nasdaq/NM.APAT) today announced
that it signed a purchase agreement to acquire certain assets of Computer System
Products, Inc. (CSP), a privately held company, for cash and common stock
warrants, and assumption of certain liabilities.

     CSP designs, manufactures and markets standard and custom fiber optic and
copper cable assemblies, value-added fiber optic frames, panels and modules for
the data communication and telecommunication industries.

     APA  Optics,  Inc. manufactures and markets advanced products for the fiber
optic  communications,  optoelectronics  and  laser  industries, including Dense
Wavelength  Division  Multiplexer  (DWDM),  ultraviolet  (UV) detectors, Nitride
epitaxial  layers  and  custom  optics.  APA's  Internet  address  is
http://www.apaoptics.com.
------------------------


APA Optics, Inc. Contact Information:
-------------------------------------

Dave Peters
Chief Financial Officer
bob@apaoptics.com
-----------------
763-784-4995

Anil Jain
Chief Executive Officer
infor@apaoptics.com
-------------------
763-784-4995


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